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Two people were caught with methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia in Amelia after a deputy saw a vehicle with one brake light, St. Mary Parish Sheriff Blaise Smith said in a news release.

—Bryan Paul Scully Jr., 36, of Cactus Road in Lafayette, was arrested at 10:37 p.m. Thursday on charges of brake lights required, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and no insurance.

—Joell Theil Bourg, 35, of Beadle Street in Amelia, was arrested at 10:37 p.m. Thursday on charges of possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.

A deputy patrolling the Beadle Street area in Amelia observed a vehicle with only one operable brake light. The deputy conducted a traffic stop and spoke to the driver, identified as Scully, and the passenger, identified as Bourg.

Scully gave the deputy consent to search the vehicle, Smith said. The deputy located a small bag of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia, the sheriff said. Both Scully and Bourg were both jailed with no bail set.

Smith reported that deputies responded to 28 complaints in the parish and reported the following arrest in east St. Mary Parish:

—Darrius Deques Williams, 25, of Hall Street in Houma, was arrested at 3:31 a.m. Friday on charges of speeding, driver must be licensed and possession of marijuana.

A deputy patrolling the area of U.S. 90 East in Patterson observed a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed. The deputy conducted a traffic stop and identified Williams as the driver.

Williams was unable to produce a valid driver’s license, and the deputy observed marijuana inside the vehicle, the sheriff said. Marijuana was observed inside of the vehicle. Bail was set at $2,750.

Morgan City Police Chief James Blair reported that officers responded to 42 calls and reported the following arrests:

—Khadijah R. Batiste, 24, of Short Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 2:56 p.m. Thursday on a warrant charging her with failure to appear for speeding. Batiste was located at the police department and booked on a warrant. She was jailed.

—Megan Virginia Ciriello, 31, of Golden Avenue in Mobile, Alabama, was arrested at 7:26 p.m. Thursday on a charge of disturbing the peace intoxicated and a 16th Judicial District Court warrant charging her with failure to appear for trial.

Officers were dispatched to Martin Luther King Boulevard and La. 182 in reference to an intoxicated woman. Upon officers’ arrival, they came into contact with Ciriello who showed signs of impairment, Blair said.

She was arrested and transported to the police department. Once at the department, officers discovered that district court had an active warrant for her arrest. She was jailed.

Patterson Police Chief Garrett Grogan reported the following arrests:

—Michael K. Brewster, 28, of Myrtle Street in Lafayette, was arrested at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday on a warrant charging him with hit-and-run. Brewster paid a $264 cash fine.

—William Carr, 30, of Clements Street in Patterson, was arrested at 5:03 a.m. Friday on charges of disturbing the peace and remaining where forbidden. Cash bail was set at $586.

Berwick Police Chief David Leonard Sr. reported no arrests.

Lafayette-based helicopter firm PHI Inc. has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection to address the upcoming maturity of $500 million in unsecured debt.

PHI said its businesses are operating normally and will continue to do so during the bankruptcy process.

“After working closely with our advisers since the spring of 2018, interacting with our various stakeholders and carefully evaluating all possible options, the board concluded that pursuing Chapter 11 protection is the most appropriate course of action to address our matured debt and strengthen our balance sheet,” PHI said in a statement.

The company said it is talking with the holders of its $500 million in unsecured debt to consider alternatives to addressing the firm’s outstanding obligations.

PHI said it is working to emerge from bankruptcy this summer with a more sustainable debt structure.

Headquartered in Lafayette, PHI operates more than 240 aircraft in 70 locations throughout the world, servicing oil and gas, air medical transportation and technical services. It employs 2,200 people.

In recent months, PHI has been refinancing debt and evaluating ways to improve its finances. A shareholder group and private investor have pushed the firm to sell off some of its assets.

PHI announced in December 2017 that it was leaving its large Amelia facility to consolidate operations in Houma.

BATON ROUGE — Visitors can discover proven ways to keep their homes cool, dry and free of destructive termites at the spring Saturday Open House at the LSU AgCenter LaHouse Home and Landscape Resource Center from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 6.
“These solutions can translate to more money for summer fun, when you don’t have to pay for high utility bills or damage repair costs,” said Claudette Hanks Reichel, LaHouse director and AgCenter extension housing specialist.
Highlighted displays, cut-aways, signage and free publications provide objective, research-based and cost-effective ideas on sun, heat, rain, humidity and termite control systems. These high-performance home features offer greater comfort and energy efficiency, along with better quality, durability and other the key requirements for a healthy home, she said.
One Saturday each season, LaHouse opens its doors outside its normal weekday operating hours and has experts on hand to answer questions. Open house visitors can explore both the seasonal focus exhibits and the many other special features and benefits LaHouse displays.
LaHouse Resource Center is located at 2858 Gourrier Ave. across from Alex Box Stadium on the LSU Campus.
A donation of $5 per adult is requested to help support LaHouse educational programming and exhibits. More information about LaHouse Resource Center and how to achieve and enjoy the benefits of a high-performance home is available at www.LSUAgCenter.com/LaHouse.
LaHouse is a research-based showcase of solutions for sustainable, high-performance housing for southern region climate and conditions. The mission of LaHouse is to shape the future with homes that offer more comfort, durability, value, convenience, environmental quality and safety and better health with less energy, water, pollution, waste, damage and loss.