RSS Feed

Dr. King memorial restored

Monument to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. returns to the boulevard named in his honor

The memorial marker for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. which stands at the first median of Martin Luther King Boulevard, in Franklin, was returned to its place Monday morning, just in time for the MLK Day March at noon.
The memorial had been at Daniel Granite for two years, being rebuilt and refurbished after having fallen from its base for the third time since its erection in 2009.
According to Diane Wiltz of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Committee of St. Mary, the last time the memorial was knocked down, the slab which made up the majority of the memorial’s bulk had been damaged to the point of disrepair and had to be rebuilt entirely. The base of the original memorial however, was salvageable and was able to be refurbished.
The newly set memorial served as a centerpiece for a brief prayer by Pastor Deandre Johnson Sr. of St. Stephen Baptist Church.
The march began at the corner of MLK Boulevard and Wall Street, continued onto Main Street following Johnson’s prayer, and culminated at Triumph Baptist Church on Iberia Street.
Marchers could be heard singing “We Shall Overcome” as they marched to pay homage to King and his historic marches of the 1960’s to bring non-violent attention to racial inequality in America.
Wiltz said the MLK Jr. Committee is also seeking to erect a protective barrier around the newly set memorial, to prevent any more defacing of the granite marker.

Over opposition, council rezones property for commercial use

Despite some opposition from residents in Wyandotte Subdivision, the Morgan City Council approved rezoning of a section of property along Patton Street and Railroad Avenue from a residential zone to a commercial zone. The rezoning request was made to allow New Industries to build a one-story building that will consist of office space and a storage warehouse in the area of Railroad Avenue and Patton Street. Council members voted 3-1 Tuesday to rezone lots 4 through 8 and lots 22 through 26, Square K in Wyandotte Subdivision from residential to commercial use. Councilmen Steve Domangue, Tim Hymel and Louis Tamporello ...

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!

Police: Suspect charged with exploitation of children

A 35-year-old man was booked on a sexual exploitation of children warrant Saturday, Morgan City Police Chief James Blair said in a news release.
—Travis T. Singleton, 35, of Leona Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 8:12 a.m. Saturday on a Chitimacha police warrant charging him with sexual exploitation of children.
Singleton was arrested by Morgan City police at his home on Leona Street for an active warrant that he had for the Chitimacha Tribal Police Department. Singleton was jailed.
A Chitimacha police news release thanked the Morgan City Police Department and agents with Homeland Security for their assistance in this investigation. Although there are no further anticipated charges, the investigation continues, the release said.
Blair reported that officers responded to 161 calls and reported the following arrests:
—Chance Rose, 43, of East 12th Street in Thibodaux, was arrested at 1:42 p.m. Friday on warrants charging him with failure to appear for trial for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.
Rose was transported from St. Mary Parish jail on city court warrants. Rose was jailed.
—Jeremy E. Gamble Jr., 20, of Elaine Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 9:20 p.m. Friday on charges of possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.
—Savana White, 19, of River Road in Berwick, was arrested at 9:20 p.m. Friday on charges of possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia and warrants charging him with possession of marijuana and two counts of possession of a Legend Drug.
An officer working security at Lake End Park conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle. The driver of the vehicle was identified as Gamble and passenger as White. A warrant check for White revealed that she had warrants for her arrest. Both Gamble and White were also in possession of suspected marijuana and drug paraphernalia, Blair said. They were jailed.
—Brandy M. Parker, 33, of Lagonda Lane in Bayou Vista, was arrested at 12:38 a.m. Saturday on a charge of possession of MDMA (ecstasy).
—Josiah J. Parker, 25, of Lagonda Lane in Bayou Vista, was arrested at 12:38 a.m. Saturday on a charge of obstruction of justice by tampering with evidence.
An officer in the area of Seventh Street and La. 182 observed a vehicle with improper lighting. A traffic stop was conducted. The driver, Brandy Parker, was in possession of pills identified as ecstasy, Blair said.
The passenger, Josiah Parker, admitted to consuming suspected marijuana prior to the traffic stop, Blair said. Both were jailed.
—Gerald W. Crooks, 57, of Gen. Hodges Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 2:28 p.m. Saturday on charges of resisting an officer and disturbing the peace by using offensive language.
An officer observed a vehicle parked partially in the roadway on La. 70. As the officer approached the vehicle, an individual identified as Crooks got into the vehicle and tried to leave. The vehicle was stopped, and Crooks began to yell and use profanities, Blair said.
A witness stated that he had brought Crooks back to the location to pick up the vehicle. During this time, Crooks continued to use profanities and was told to calm down, but he refused, Blair said. Crooks was jailed.
—Lionel M. Scott, 19, of Eastern Street in New Orleans, was arrested at 11:52 a.m. Sunday on charges of resisting an officer by giving false information, possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia, and on warrant charging him with failure to appear in court.
—Jada L. Desira, 17, of La. 70 in Pierre Part, was arrested at 11:52 a.m. Sunday on charges of possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.
—Jamal J. Robinson, 20, of Agriculture Street in New Orleans, was arrested at 11:52 a.m. Sunday on charges of possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.
Officers responded to a motel on Brashear Avenue in regard to individuals being in a room that was supposed to be vacant. Officers arrived and went to the room and were able to identify the individuals as Robinson, Desira and Scott.
Scott had given officers a false name, but later revealed his identity, Blair said. Through the investigation, suspected marijuana was found in the room along with drug paraphernalia, Blair said.
A computer check revealed that Scott was wanted out of Harris County in Houston, Texas. All subjects were jailed.
—Shelia M. Ruffin, 61, of Bayou Black Drive in Gibson, was arrested at 10:42 a.m. Sunday on a warrant charging her with failure to pay fines.
Ruffin was transported from St. Mary Parish jail to the Morgan City Police Department on a city court warrant.
—Duane Sims, 32, of Martin Luther King Drive in Thibodaux, was arrested at 5:35 a.m. Monday on a warrant charging him with two counts of contempt of court.
Sims was located on Brashear Avenue and placed under arrest for active warrants he held for the Thibodaux Police Department. Sims was jailed.
—Raul M. Navarez, 56, of Mallard Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 4:27 p.m. Monday on a charge of remaining after being forbidden.
Officers responded to a business on Victor II Boulevard to remove an individual. Officers arrived, and Navarez was identified and the one involved in the disturbance. Employees of the business stated that Navarez was asked to leave several times, Blair said.
Officers located Navarez and arrested him. Navarez was jailed.
—Damon M. Allen, 48, of Cross Road in Morgan City, was arrested at 10:04 p.m. Sunday on a warrant charging him with failure to appear for revocation.
Allen was a passenger in a vehicle involved in a traffic stop on Federal Avenue. A warrant check revealed that Allen held an active warrant for 16th Judicial District Court. Allen was jailed.
—Christopher M. Tibbetts Jr., 24, of La. 182 in Morgan City, was arrested at 11:45 p.m. Monday on charges of disturbing the peace and criminal damage to property.
Officers responded to a home on La. 182 in regard to a disturbance. Officers arrived and Tibbetts was identified as the one involved in the disturbance. According to the victim, Tibbetts became upset and shattered the windshield of her vehicle.
Officers located Tibbetts outside of the home and arrested him. Tibbetts was jailed.
—Michael A. Coleman Jr., 37, of Live Oak Street in Patterson, was arrested at 2:26 a.m. Tuesday on charges of driving under suspension and improper lane usage.
Officers responded to U.S. 90 East in regard to a vehicle that had gone into the wooded area. Officers arrived and located the vehicle.
The driver of the vehicle was identified as Coleman, who stated that he had fallen asleep while driving and his vehicle veered off into the wooded area off of U.S. 90. A computer check revealed that Coleman’s driver’s license was under suspension, Blair said. Coleman was jailed.
St. Mary Parish Sheriff Blaise Smith reported that deputies responded to 146 complaints in the parish and reported the following arrests in east St. Mary Parish:
—Amber Metrejean, 29, of Freeman Street in Patterson, was arrested at 2:07 p.m. Friday on a warrant for failure to appear on a charge of criminal neglect of family.
A corrections deputy made contact with Metrejean when she turned herself in on an active warrant for her arrest at St. Mary Parish jail. Metrejean was booked on the warrant. Metrejean paid her fine and was released.
—Noah Sierra, 18, of Main Street in Patterson, was arrested at 2:17 p.m. Friday on a charge of simple battery.
A corrections deputy made contact with Sierra when he turned himself in on an active warrant for his arrest at parish jail. The warrant stemmed from a Dec. 28, 2018, incident in which Sierra traveled to a location on private land and struck a male repeatedly, Smith said. Sierra was booked on the warrant and released on $250 bail.
—Alonzo Henry, 24, of Williams Street in Patterson, was arrested at 6:17 p.m. Friday on charges of no child restraint, no lights in fog, no registration in vehicle, no driver’s license on person, no record of insurance and on a warrant for flight from an officer, negligent injuring, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
A deputy patrolling U.S. 90 in the area of the Calumet Cut observed a vehicle with his lights off in the fog. The deputy conducted a traffic stop and made contact with the driver, Henry.
Through the stop, Henry could not produce a driver’s license, registration, or proof of insurance. There was a juvenile in the vehicle but no child restraint seat. The deputy also learned of an active warrant for Henry’s arrest. Henry was jailed with no bail set.
—Christon Grady Jr., 33, of William Street in Patterson, was arrested at 10:40 p.m. Friday on a charge of criminal neglect of family.
Deputies patrolling Amelia stopped to assist a deputy in a stop of a male on a bike. The male, identified as Grady, held an active warrant for his arrest. Grady was jailed with bail set at $7581.70.
—Kedra Bowie, 41, of Bonnet Street in New Iberia, was arrested at 1:38 p.m. Saturday on charges of driving under suspension and expired motor vehicle inspection.
A deputy patrolling the area of Patterson observed a vehicle traveling with an expired motor vehicle inspection sticker. The deputy conducted a traffic stop and made contact with the driver, Bowie.
Through the stop, the deputy learned that Bowie’s license was suspended, Smith said. Bowie was booked into jail and then released on her own recognizance.
—Lori Mizzell, 61, of Marin Lane in Patterson, was arrested at 1:17 p.m. Saturday on a charge of aggravated battery.
—Charlotte Bracamontes, 30, of Main Street in Patterson, was arrested at 1:17 p.m. Saturday on two warrants for failure to appear on charges of resisting an officer, possession of amphetamine/dextroamphetamine and possession of clonazepam.
A deputy patrolling the area of Patterson was dispatched to a home on Marin Lane in reference to a disturbance. Upon arrival, the deputy made contact with Bracamontes and Mizzell.
Bracamontes stated that Mizzell had struck her with a walking cane during an argument. Through the investigation, the deputy learned that Bracamontes held an active warrant for her arrest. Bracamontes and Mizzell were both jailed. Bail was set at $3,000 for Bracamontes and $500 for Mizzell.
—Clarence Clark Jr., 72, of Duke Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 8:32 a.m. Saturday on a warrant charging him with theft.
A deputy patrolling the area of Morgan City was dispatched to a home on Duke Street with the assistance of the Morgan City Police in reference to a theft. Upon arrival, the deputy made contact with Clark and advised him of the active warrant.
The warrant stems from a Dec. 19, 2018, incident in which Clark committed a theft at a business in Amelia, Smith said. Clark was booked into jail and then released on summons to appear in court April 4.
—Rodrick Bennett, 48, of Vaughn Alley in Patterson, was arrested at 1:12 a.m. Sunday on a warrant for failure to appear on a charge of criminal neglect of family.
A deputy patrolling the area of Patterson observed a vehicle fail to activate a turn signal prior to making a turn. The deputy conducted a traffic stop and made contact with the driver, Bennett.
Through the stop, the deputy was informed by dispatch of an active warrant for Bennett’s arrest. Bennett was jailed with bail set at $1,660.91.
—Sheila Ruffin, 61, of Bayou Black Road in Gibson, was arrested at 4:32 a.m. Sunday on a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia and three warrants for failure to appear on three counts of possession of drug paraphernalia.
Deputies patrolling the Amelia observed a woman walking in the cold with a bag hanging over her arm that seemed to be weighing her down. The deputies made contact with the woman, identified as Ruffin.
Through the stop, the deputies learned of active warrants for Ruffin. The deputies also found that Ruffin had drug paraphernalia in her possession, Smith said. Ruffin was jailed with no bail set.
—Benjamin Strawn Jr., 47, of Park Drive in Idabel, Oklahoma, was arrested at 10:41 p.m. Sunday on charges of disturbing the peace intoxicated and resisting arrest or officer.
Deputies patrolling Amelia were dispatched to a local business in Amelia in reference to an intoxicated couple in the parking lot. Upon arrival, the deputies observed another deputy walking behind a man, identified as Strawn, attempting to stop him.
While being taken into custody, Strawn struggled to get free of the deputies. Strawn was booked into jail and then released on $2,000 bail.
Patterson Police Chief Garrett Grogan reported the following arrests:
—Demarcus T. Skipper, 23, of Hickory Street in Patterson, was arrested at 11:06 p.m. Saturday on a charge of simple battery-domestic violence. No bail was set.
—Ronald Johnson Sr., 59, of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue in Patterson, was arrested at 7:54 p.m. Sunday on a charge of simple assault. Johnson was jailed on $230 bail.
—Robert Gussman III, 24, of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue in Patterson, was arrested 10:05 p.m. Sunday on charges of simple battery-domestic violence and violation of protective orders. No bail was set.
Assumption Parish Sheriff Leland Falcon reported the following arrest relating to the area.
—Megan Marie Archilla, 34, of Bowen Lane in Bayou Vista, on charges of possession of oxycodone, alprazolam (Xanax), marijuana and on a warrant for failure to appear in court on a charge of possession of marijuana.
On Saturday morning, Archilla flagged down a patrol deputy in Bayou L’Ourse and requested assistance to attempt to retrieve a friend’s phone.
As a routine measure, the deputy asked Archilla to identify herself. Archilla provided a fictitious name to the deputy, Falcon said. The communications center determined that the name Archilla provided did not exist in the database, Falcon said.
The deputy advised Archilla and requested that she provide her correct name at which time she complied. The communications center determined that a warrant for failure to appear in court on a drug related charge was active.
The deputy also detected a strong odor of marijuana coming from Archilla, who admitted that she had marijuana on her, Falcon said. She turned the marijuana over to the deputy. The plastic bag also contained doses of alprazolam and oxycodone, and Archilla had no prescriptions for those drugs, Falcon said.
Archilla was jailed at Assumption Parish Detention Center. Bench warrant bail was set at $839 cash.
Berwick Police Chief David Leonard reported no arrests.

Louisiana adds 19,100 jobs in December

Louisiana added 19,100 jobs in December compared to a year earlier, as employment rose above 2 million.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the state’s nonfarm employment in December at 2,002,000. The figures were not seasonally adjusted. Louisiana was one of 40 states to add nonfarm payroll jobs over the year.
Separately, the state’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 4.9 percent, higher than the U.S. rate of 3.9 percent.
Nine of 11 sectors added jobs in Louisiana in December compared to the year prior. The largest gains came in education and health services, up 5,500 to 322,000; manufacturing, up 4,800 to 139,100; trade, transportation and utilities, up 3,200 to 387,600; and financial activities, up 3,200 to 94,600.
Mining and logging, which includes the state’s oil and gas sector, added 600 jobs during the period.
Professional and business service lost 3,700 jobs, and government shed 2,500 jobs.

MLK Day in Morgan City

The Daily Review/Bill Decker
The St. Mary Chapter of the NAACP conducts a march Monday in Morgan City to commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The walk from City Hall to New Zorah Baptist Church was followed by remarks from minister Jaylan Grogan.

BBB alert: Con game uses phony check balance website

If you receive a gift card this holiday season, Better Business Bureau Serving Acadiana are asking consumers to watch out for this scam. According to recent BBB Scam Tracker reports, a website claiming to help check gift card balances is really a con. When you enter your card’s information, scammers use it to access and drain your gift card. How scam works You receive a gift card for the holidays or maybe your birthday and want to check how much money is on it. You search online and find a website that claims to do just that. All you need to ...

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!

University red snapper study puts $250 tags on fish

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — When the red snapper season begins this summer in the Gulf of Mexico, some fish will carry $250 and even $500 worth of tags, as part of a study to estimate just how many of the popular sport and table fish live in the Gulf. The fish can be released as long as the tags are snipped off.
Scientists plan to tag 3,000 to 5,000 red snapper during April and May, said Greg Stunz of Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, who is leading a team of 21 scientists from the five Gulf states and Virginia. He said some will use university research boats, but others will go out with anglers, charter captains and commercial boats — and researchers hope to get tags back from all three fishing groups.
Each tag will be worth $250. Some fish will carry two tags, to help scientists learn how many of the tags fall out. Those are the potential $500 fish. The tubular tags are about 4 to 5 inches (10 to 13 centimeters) long but only a couple of millimeters wide, Stuntz said, making them easy to snip off at the bottom.
Each has a yellow plastic insert bearing a five-digit tag number starting with the letters RS, and the words “Reward $250. Keep tag” and a phone number to call.
To get the reward, anglers need to report the fishing port from which they departed, the date the fish was caught, the fish’s length and weight, the fish’s tag number, and the latitude and longitude where it was caught. The tag itself should also be mailed in, though Stuntz said the researchers may accept photographs.
Scientists expect about 10 percent of the tagged fish to be caught, Stunz said Friday.
The $12 million study called the Great Red Snapper Count also involves visual counts, habitat surveys, and other studies.
“We’ll be wrapped up in about a year,” Stunz said.
It was designed to check the accuracy of federal red snapper figures.
Overfishing and incidental catch in shrimp trawls caused red snapper numbers to plummet disastrously from the 1960s to late 1980s.
Since federal regulation of the catch began in 1990, numbers have rebounded. But in recent years the recreational season got shorter and shorter. Many anglers say federal estimates are too low and seasons too short.
The problem, according to NOAA Fisheries , was that recreational anglers regularly caught far more than the quotas set by the Gulf Coast Fishery Management Council . An overage for one season meant fewer days for the next. State agencies said NOAA was using bad data.
In response, the Trump administration extended a three-day federal season in 2017 for an additional 39 weekend days, and in 2018 created a two-year experiment in which states would open and close their recreational seasons.
Two environmental groups sued in 2017, saying the change to that season would result in overfishing.
Congress also allocated $9.5 million for the red snapper study, with the universities involved putting up another $2.5 million.
A team of 21 scientists are participating. Most are from Gulf state universities; the Virginia Institute of Marine Science also is part of the study, along with a scientist from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Three NOAA Fisheries scientists are described as noncompensated collaborators.

100 Black Men Mentoring Academy

Submitted Photo
The 100 Black Men of St. Mary Parish organization has begun its spring Mentoring Academy and held its first session Jan. 12. The academy, New Directions, accepts young men 11-18, and focuses on the 100’s Four for the Future: Mentoring, Education, Health and Wellness, and Economic Empowerment. In addition to the Four for the Future, The New Directions Academy implements leadership skills as well. If interested in having your child participate in future semesters, contact Demetrius Wilson at 985-519-6452 or Clarence Robinson 985-225-9775.

Radio logs for Jan. 22

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, Jan. 21

7:04 a.m. 6900 block of La. 182; Burglary.

7:31 a.m. 1500 block of Sandra Street; Open door.

7:34 a.m. 1100 block of Marguerite Street; Assistance.

7:52 a.m. 1200 block of David Drive; Medical.

8:05 a.m. 1000 block of Florence Street; Lost and found.

8:25 a.m. U.S. 90 East; Stalled vehicle.

8:38 a.m. 400 block of Brashear Avenue; Alarm.

8:45 a.m. 1100 block of Marguerite Street; Complaint.

10:30 a.m. 1500 block of Sandra Street; Burglary.

11:39 a.m. 900 block of Marguerite Street; Medical.

12 p.m. 1400 block of Sandra Street; Burglary.

12:02 p.m. 600 block of Belanger Street; Theft.

12:11 p.m. 1500 block of Sandra Street; Burglary.

12:26 p.m. 100 block of 11th Street; Complaint.

1:35 p.m. 100 block of Wren Street; Medical.

2:02 p.m. 700 block of Myrtle Street; Medical.

2:07 p.m. 1300 block of Victor II Boulevard; Arrest.

2:20 p.m. 200 block of Onstead Street; Complaint.

2:28 p.m. 2300 block of Clements Street; Animal complaint.

2:48 p.m. 100 block of Leona Street; Complaint.

3:41 p.m. 900 block of Third Street; Complaint.

3:43 p.m. 500 block of Levee Road; Animal complaint.

3:50 p.m. 500 block of Greenwood Street; Complaint.

4:16 p.m. 600 block of Onstead Street; Theft.

5:54 p.m. 700 block of Franklin Street; Civil matter.

6:10 p.m. 500 block of Levee Road; Animal complaint.

6:19 p.m. 300 block of Wren Street; Communication complaint.

6:29 p.m. 100 block of 11th Street; Assistance.

7:37 p.m. 500 block of Levee Road; Animal complaint.

7:46 p.m. 300 block of Bowman Street; Disturbance.

8:12 p.m. Idaho Street and Railroad Avenue; Investigation.

8:30 p.m. 700 block of Myrtle Street; Arrest.

8:36 p.m. 2900 block of Sixth Street, Berwick; Assistance.

10:57 p.m. 7700 block of La. 182; Theft.

11:24 p.m. 7200 block of La. 182; Disturbance.

12:02 a.m. 500 block of Freret Street; Noise complaint.

1:15 a.m. U.S. 90 West; Arrest.

Service day

Reginald Weary, president of the St. Mary Chapter of the NAACP, participates in a service day to improve Roland W. Broussard Playground in Morgan City. Also pictured are Courtney Long and Danika Foley of both of Hoodstock , a local community organization. The NAACP, Hoodstock and 100 Black Men of St. Mary Parish helped serve the community Monday as people celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day. (The Daily Review/Zachary Fitzgerald)

Pages

ST. MARY NOW

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