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Voters in two special purpose districts are being asked to approve property tax renewals in Saturday’s election.
Voters in St. Mary Parish Consolidated Gravity District No. 2A in the Morgan City-Amelia area will decide whether to extend a 2.79-mill tax for another 10 years. The district includes Precincts 35-44.
Fire Protection District No. 1 in Cypremort Point has a 2-mill renewal on the ballot. Voters in Precinct 1 will decide this measure.
Polls will be open 7 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday. Bring a photo ID to the polls.
The District 2A tax is expected to raise $385,000 a year.
The Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority is paying for a $12 million-$14 million upgrade to four District 2A pump stations in hopes of heading off a repeat of the home flooding that occurred during Hurricane Francine in September.
But district officials say the tax renewal is vital as a source of funding for measures such as rental pumps for the coming tropical weather season.
The Cypremort Point fire protection tax raises $60,000 a year and would be extended for 10 years with a positive vote Saturday.

A new bill from Rep. Larry Bagley, R-Caddo, would eliminate the requirement for most Louisiana vehicles to have inspection stickers, arguing that modern cars are safer than ever and the current system is outdated, ineffective and ripe for abuse.
Under current law, nearly all vehicles registered in Louisiana — including passenger cars, trailers, and low-speed vehicles — must display a valid safety inspection sticker issued by the state.
Bagley’s proposal would repeal that requirement for private passenger vehicles, keeping it only for commercial and student transportation vehicles. Vehicles in parishes subject to the U.S. Clean Air Act would still need emissions inspections.
Bagley, speaking before a House committee, emphasized that Louisiana is now an outlier among Southern states.
“There are no red states that have them, except Louisiana. There are 39 states that have eliminated the requirement include neighboring Texas, Mississippi and Alabama,” Bagley said. “There are no southern [states that require them].”
He pointed to advances in automotive safety as a key reason the law is no longer needed.
 “Modern vehicles are safer than ever, vehicles manufactured today are with advanced safety technologies, including airbag, analog braking systems, crash avoidance censors,” Bagley continued. “I can see 20 years ago, but not anymore.” 
He also questioned the effectiveness of current inspections.
“A vehicle might pass inspection one day but develop a safety defect the next,” Bagley said. “An inspection sticker only shows the vehicle’s compliant on the day that was inspected, not months after.”
Fraud in the inspection system was another concern Bagley raised. 
“Reports of fraudulent inspection stickers being printed and sold undermine the purpose and credibility [of] the current system,” Bagley said, recounting testimony from a previous bill hearing. “They go through parking lots and grocery stores. In fact, they caught one at State Police headquarters here in Baton Rouge, walking through the parking lot actually trying to sell fraudulent stickers.”
Bagley added that the public’s frustration lies not with the inspection fee, but with the process itself.
“It’s not a $10 fee that citizens find most frustrating. It’s a hassle and inconvenience of having to visit inspection [stations],” Bagley said. “Citizens have been fined for missing sticker renewals when their vehicles are operating safely.”
The proposed law would also remove the requirement for law enforcement to issue formal written notices when citing vehicles for unsafe conditions. Officers would still be able to issue citations for safety violations based on existing state equipment standards.
Bagley has brought similar legislation in past sessions, but it has faced resistance from those who argue inspections are a basic safeguard.
This time, he’s hopeful his argument resonates with lawmakers and drivers alike. 
An amendment to the bill clarifies that overweight and oversize mobile homes requiring a state permit would not be subject to the inspection sticker requirement when being transported by a bonded carrier. 
Additionally, used motor vehicles being moved by a dealer would also be exempt from the inspection certificate requirement while in transit.

Keep St. Mary Beautiful successfully held the annual “Love the Boot” cleanup and beautification event in Morgan City, Berwick, Patterson, Siracusa and Franklin during the week of April5-12.
The event was organized by Keep Louisiana Beautiful. With the support of 150 volunteers, over 200 bags of litter were picked up.
According to Keep St. Mary Beautiful Chairperson Lea Hebert, each year this event mobilizes volunteers from various sectors of our community, including educators, students, retirees, corporate employees, hospital staff, church groups, and families.
This diverse participation underscores the community’s commitment to maintaining a clean and healthy environment in St. Mary Parish.
"We are proud of how much we were able to accomplish during this important event and look forward to continuing to make a difference in our community," Hebert said.
“We are thankful to the Louisiana businesses, governments, schools, families, and individuals who participated in Love the Boot Week,” said Susan Russell, executive director of Keep Louisiana Beautiful.
“This event not only helps to improve communities, but it also brings awareness to our state’s litter problem. Only when we work together and change our behaviors will Louisiana see a reduction in litter.”
In May, Keep Louisiana Beautiful will release an outcomes report summarizing the collective impact of the registered cleanup and beautification events. This report will include the total number of events, volunteers, bags of trash collected, pounds of trash collected, and other relevant statistics. The report will be available at www.keeplouisianabeautiful.org.
For more information about Love the Boot Week, visit www.lovetheboot.org. or contact info@keeplouisianabeautiful.org.
Being an affiliate of Keep Louisiana Beautiful offers substantial benefits that directly impact our local efforts, Hebert said.
The organization provides essential supplies such as trash bags, grabbers, gloves, and safety vests. These resources are fundamental to the success of our cleanup initiatives and significantly reduce the financial burden on our local budget. They also provide an annual $500 grant.
Keep Louisiana Beautiful is a state program under the Office of Lieutenant Governor and the Department of Culture, Recreation, & Tourism promoting personal, corporate, and community responsibility for a clean and beautiful Louisiana.
Keep Louisiana Beautiful supports local communities through programs and resources for litter education, prevention, removal, enforcement, beautification, recycling, waste reduction, and sustainability initiatives. Keep Louisiana Beautiful is affiliated with the national organization, Keep America Beautiful, and is supported by a robust statewide network of Community Affiliates and University Affiliates. Learn more at www.KeepLouisianaBeautiful.org.

Ethel May Hedrick, 95, a native of Morgan City and resident of Berwick, died Monday, April 28, 2025.
She was preceded in death by her husband, parents and siblings.
Services will be Friday at 8 a.m. at St. Stephen church hall. Services will be at 10 a.m. at St. Stephen Catholic Church. Burial will follow in Berwick Cemetery.
Hargrave Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.