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Two people were arrested in the Berwick area after St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office detectives stopped a vehicle with no passenger side brake light, Sheriff Blaise Smith said in a news release.

—Matthew Rollins, 24, of Diane Lane in Patterson, was arrested at 5:26 p.m. Monday on charges of tail lights, no driver’s license, and on two warrants for failure to appear on the charges of possession of methamphetamine and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute.

—Andrenique Brown, 22, of Tiffany Street in Patterson, was arrested at 5:26 p.m. Monday on a warrant for failure to appear on a charge of possession of marijuana. Morgan City Police Chief James Blair also reported that police booked Brown at 12:03 a.m. Tuesday on a warrant charging her with possession of marijuana.

Detectives with the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Section were patrolling the area of Berwick when they observed a vehicle with no passenger side brake light. The detectives conducted a traffic stop and made contact with the driver, Rollins, and a passenger, Brown.

Through the stop, the detectives learned that Rollins did not have a valid driver’s license, and that he held active warrants for his arrest. Brown also had an active warrant for her arrest, Smith said. Rollins and Brown were transported to St. Mary Parish jail for booking. Bail for Rollins was set at $200,000. No bail was set for Brown.

St. Mary Parish Sheriff Blaise Smith reported the following arrests in east St. Mary Parish:

—Joshua Walton, 18, of Charlotte Drive in Patterson, was arrested at 6:49 p.m. Monday on charges of stop signs and yield signs, possession of marijuana and improper lane usage.

—Kameron Francis, 18, of Aucoin Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 6:49 p.m. Monday on a charge of possession of marijuana.

Detectives with the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Section were patrolling the area of Zenor Road when they observed a vehicle leave the roadway onto the dirt then back on the road.

The detectives conducted a traffic stop and made contact with the driver, Walton, and a passenger, Francis. Through the stop, the detectives smelled a strong odor of marijuana and found marijuana in the vehicle, Smith said. Both Walton and Francis were released on summonses to appear in court April 4.

—Loreal Jackson, 33, of North Lobdell Street in Baton Rouge, was arrested at 9:39 a.m. Monday on charges of driving under suspension and maximum speed limit violation.

A deputy was conducting speed enforcement on U.S. 90 in Bayou Vista when he observed a car traveling over the speed limit. The deputy conducted a traffic stop and made contact with the driver, Jackson. Through the stop, the deputy learned that Jackson’s license was suspended, Smith said. Jackson was released on a summons to appear in court April 4.

—Yvonne Vilo, 60, of Washington Street in Patterson, was arrested at 3:56 p.m. Sunday on a charge of theft.

A deputy patrolling the area of Bayou Vista was dispatched to a business in reference to a theft. Upon arrival, the deputy made contact with business personnel who stated that a woman, identified as Vilo, attempted to leave the store with merchandise. The deputy made contact with Vilo and arrested her. Vilo was released on a summons to appear in court April 4.

—Daniel Griffin, 41, of La. 182 in Berwick, was arrested at 7:26 p.m. Sunday on charges of resisting an officer, possession of crack cocaine and on a warrant for failure to appear on the charges of speeding, operating a vehicle without a driver’s license and failing to honor a written promise to appear.

A deputy patrolling Bayou Vista was dispatched to a business in reference to a suspicious person on the premises. Upon arrival, the deputy made contact with business personnel who pointed out the suspicious person to the deputy.

The deputy made contact with the person, identified as Griffin and began to question him. The deputy learned of an active warrant for Griffin’s arrest and advised him of the warrant. Griffin then fled on foot from the deputy and was apprehended moments later, Smith said.

A witness informed the deputy of a bag that she observed Griffin throw down as he was fleeing. The bag was recovered and contained drugs, the sheriff said. Griffin was jailed with no bail set.

—Melissa Wynne, 38, of Linda Anne Avenue in Gray, was arrested at 10:10 p.m. Sunday on a charge of possession of marijuana .

A deputy patrolling the area of Bayou Vista observed a vehicle fail to use a proper turn signal in a J-turn lane. The deputy conducted a traffic stop and made contact with the driver and a passenger, identified as Wynne. Through the stop, drugs were found, Smith said. Wynne was released on a summons to appear in court April 4.

—Larrian Harris, 20, of Shannon Drive in Violet, was arrested at 11:10 p.m. Sunday on a charge of reckless operation.

A deputy traveling east on U.S. 90 in the area of Morgan City observed a vehicle traveling west at a high rate of speed. The deputy conducted a traffic stop and made contact with the driver, Harris, who was released on a summons to appear in court April 4.

—Eric Harvey, 33, of Adams Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 3:01 a.m. Saturday on a charge of possession of schedule I drugs.

A deputy with the K-9 section of the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office was patrolling Bayou Vista assisted another deputy on a traffic stop on U.S. 90 near Southeast Boulevard when he made contact with the passenger of the car, Harvey. During the stop, the deputy found drugs in Harvey’s possession, Smith said. Harvey was released on a summons to appear in court April 4.

Patterson Police Chief Garrett Grogan reported no arrests.

Berwick Police Chief David Leonard reported no arrests.

Staff Report
St. Mary Parish public schools have announced the winners of the Students of the Year competition.
The parish winners are:
Fifth grade: Madison Izaguirre, Berwick Elementary School
Eighth grade: A’Nyrie Weber, B. E. Boudreaux Middle School:
12th grade: Matison LeBlanc, Morgan City High School
The Students of the Year Award Program is designed to recognize outstanding elementary, middle/junior and high school students.
Parish winners will participate in the regional competition to be hosted in St. Mary Parish (fifth grade), Jefferson Parish (eighth grade), and Plaquemines Parish (12th grade) during February.
Other participants were:
Fifth Grade
Juan Villegas, Aucoin Elementary School
Marlee LaCoste, Bayou Vista Elementary School
Laila Doiron, Centerville Elementary School
Amyrie’ Barabin, Foster Elementary School
Jayvyn Banks, LaGrange Elementary School
Alicia Franklin, Maitland Elementary School
Karlie Sonnier, Norman Elementary School
Jaelynn Miller, Patterson Jr. High School
Csaige Edwards, Raintree Elementary School
Jaelii Robinson, Wyandotte Elementary School
Eighth Grade
Abigail Watson, Berwick Junior High School
Nickolas Bergeron, Centerville Junior High School
Brooke Ina, Franklin Junior High School
Sarai Richardson, Morgan City Junior High School
Rylie Chaisson, Patterson Junior High School
12th Grade
Natalie Bourgeois, Berwick High School
Caleb Pogue, Centerville High School
A’jaycia McCurtis, Franklin High School
Katelyn Larson, Patterson High School
Justin Chauvin, West St. Mary High School

Rita Blanchard Gaudet Mancil, 91, a resident of Amelia, passed away Sunday, January13, 2019 at Thibodaux Regional Medical Center.
Rita was born on September 11, 1927 in White Castle, the daughter of Meliza Blanchard and Ursula Mabile Blanchard.
Rita was a homemaker all of her life and when she wasn’t taking care of her family, she enjoyed to be in her yard working with her roses. She loved her family and enjoyed each moment she got to spend with them and thoroughly enjoyed cooking for them. She enjoyed watching her daily soap operas and she was not happy when she had to miss them for any reason. She loved to tell stories to her family, but you had to be patient, because it would take her a while to tell the story because she would be laughing so hard.
She will be sadly missed and lovingly remembered by seven children, Monty Gaudet Sr. and wife Theresa of Gibson, Elmo Gaudet Jr. and wife Agnes of Bayou L’Ourse, Ivis Gaudet of Amelia, Leola Courtney Eick and husband Steven of New York, Leander Gaudet of Amelia, Ursula Gaudet and Susan Gaudet, both of Amelia; three stepsons, B.J. Mancil and wife Jon, Troy Macil and Allen Mancil; 23 grandchildren; 63 great-grandchildren; 28 great-great-grandchildren; one brother, Diny Blanchard and wife Lucille of Amelia; and two sisters, Mildred Arceneaux of Stephensville and Flavia Barras of Amelia.
Rita was preceded in death by her parents, Meliza and Urusula Mabile Blanchard; one son, Howard Gaudet; one daughter-in-law, Elaine Gaudet; husband and father of her children, Elmo Gaudet Sr.; husband Edward Mancil; four brothers, Gustav Blanchard, Linwood Blanchard, Lloyd Blanchard, Phillip Blanchard; four sisters, Doris Alleman, Audrey Revere, Leann Blanchard, Denise B. Gros.
Pallbearers will be Leander Gaudet, Monty Gaudet Jr., Chad Gaudet, Howard Gaudet, Jake Gaude, Ivis Gaudet Jr., Jarred Gaudet, and Lukas Carnley.
The family would like to thank Dr. Dishman and her staff at the Morgan City Medicine Clinic for the loving care they gave to Rita.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 16, 2019, at St. Andrew Catholic Church with Father Duc Bui celebrating Mass. A visitation will be held from 9:00 a.m. until the time of Mass. Following Mass Rita will be laid to rest in the Morgan City Cemetery.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump often points to farmers as among the biggest winners from the administration’s proposed rollback of federal protections for wetlands and waterways across the country.
But under longstanding federal law and rules, farmers and farmland already are exempt from most of the regulatory hurdles on behalf of wetlands that the Trump administration is targeting. Because of that, environmental groups long have argued that builders, oil and gas drillers and other industry owners would be the big winners if the government adopts the pending rollback, making it easier to fill in bogs, creeks and streams for plowing, drilling, mining or building.
Government numbers released last month support that argument.
Real estate developers and those in other business sectors take out substantially more permits than farmers for projects impinging on wetlands, creeks, and streams, and who stand to reap the biggest regulatory and financial relief from the Trump administration’s rollback of wetlands protections.
But Trump and his administration put farmers front and center as beneficiaries of the proposed rollback because of the strong regard Americans historically hold for farming, opponents say. Trump was scheduled to speak Monday to a national farm convention.
“The administration understands good optics in surrounding themselves with farmers,” in proposing the rollback, said Geoff Gisler, a senior attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center. “Surrounding themselves with folks that would represent the industries that actually benefit would not be as good an optic.”
Backers “have been really happy to have farmers be the face of it,” said Kenneth Kopocis, the Environmental Protection Agency’s deputy assistant administrator for water under the Obama administration. But the building industry, oil and gas and others with lower profiles in the campaign “are going to be some of the big beneficiaries.”
The more than 300-page financial analysis the administration released last month when it formally proposed the rollback appears to starkly quantify that disparity. Of 248,688 federal permits issued from 2011 to 2015 for work that would deposit dirt or other fill into protected wetlands, streams and shorelines, the federal government on average required home builders and other developers to do some kind of mitigation — pay to restore a wetland elsewhere, generally — an average of 990 times a year, nationwide, according to the government’s analysis.
In all, other industries and agriculture obtained an average of 3,163 such wetlands permits with some kind of extra payment or other mitigation strings attached each year.
Farmers represented just eight of those on average in a year, according to the administration’s figures.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which administers the wetlands protections with the Environmental Protection Agency, and the National Association of Home Builders confirmed Friday that developers and other industries, not farmers, have felt the biggest impact from the federal wetlands protections and would get most of the financial breaks under the rollback.
“The residential construction industry does pull more wetlands permits than farmers do,” Liz Thompson, spokeswoman for the National Association of Home Builders, said in an email.
The Trump administration’s pending rollback of wetlands protections “could be a benefit to builders who will see some relief in terms of cost and time. That said, builders will still be regulated and will still be the industry that pulls the largest number of 404 permits which are very costly,” Thompson wrote, referring to the section of the Clean Water Act dealing with the regulatory enforcement and permits.
The administration’s proposal greatly narrows what kind of wetlands and streams fall under federal protection. If it is formally adopts it after a public comment period, it would change how the federal government enforces the landmark 1972 Clean Water Act and scale back a 2015 Obama administration rule on what waterways are protected. Environmental groups say millions of miles of streams and wetlands would lose protection.
Trump signed an order in February 2017 directing the rollback. With farmers as well as homebuilders by his side, Trump called the waterways protections then in force a “massive power grab” targeting “nearly every puddle or every ditch on a farmer’s land.”
The farm bloc has been one of the most loyal to Trump, despite farmers’ complaints that the administration has favored oil and gas producers over corn ethanol farmers, and their worries over a trade war with China.
Acting EPA head Andrew Wheeler surrounded himself with farm bureau representatives and farm-state Congress members in signing the rollback proposal last month.
In Tennessee, Wheeler, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue and farm industry leaders from Washington stood in front of tractors and U.S. flags last month to urge farmers to campaign for the rollback.
“The EPA has done its job, now all of us in this room have to help to get this over the finish line,” Zippy Duvall, head of the American Farm Bureau Federation, told the Tennessee farm crowd then.
Farmers who support the rollback call the federal protections of wetlands and creeks a burden, and insist farmers know best how to protect their property.
Environmental groups, public-health organizations and others say it’s impossible to keep the country’s downstream lakes, rivers and water supplies clean unless upstream waters are also regulated federally. The targeted regulations also protect wildlife and their habitats.
The Clean Water Act permits deal with work that would dump dirt or fill into a wetland or waterway. Breaks for farmers long have been written into the law, so that a farmer doesn’t need permits for ordinary ongoing farming that, for instance, sends some soil running off into a wetland.
The American Farm Bureau Federation — one of the most active promoters of the scaling back of the Clean Water Act’s reach — says the 2015 Obama version of the rule could force farmers to pursue costly wetlands permits and mitigation for routine plowing and other farm work.
“It’s just really a nightmare for farmers to have to navigate,” said Don Parrish, the senior director of regulatory relations at the agriculture trade group. “It can cost them the use of the land, generally they have to stop using their land” if they run afoul of it.
“If you could see me, I’d be laughing” at that claim, Kopocis, the lead Obama water official behind the 2015 rule, said by phone Sunday. “Every single exemption or exclusion that agriculture had” was preserved in the Obama administration’s 2015 work on the wetlands rule, he said.
In an email, Cindy Barger, an Army Corps of Engineers official involved in the proposed regulatory change, confirmed that the rules targeted by the Trump administration had kept the regulatory relief for farmers.
Compared to other industries, as wetlands protections currently stand, “the agricultural industry has less economic exposure because of the permit exemptions,” Barger said. The gain for farmers would be the Trump administration’s attempt to streamline definition of protected wetlands, meaning farmers wouldn’t have to consult experts to know if an area is protected, she said.
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