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!
Berwick elected a new mayor and council, and Patterson elected a new police chief and one new council member Tuesday. Morgan City voted in a new council member, too, filling an open seat.
Patterson also re-elected its mayor and four council members.
Duval Arthur was elected mayor of Berwick with 81 percent of the vote, or 1,492 votes. The other candidate, Jessie Boudreaux, received 19 percent, or 353 votes, according to complete but unofficial results on the Louisiana secretary of state’s website.
Current Berwick Mayor Louis Ratcliff, who served three terms, was term-limited and could not seek re-election. Arthur also served three terms on the town council.
All five of Berwick’s current council members either were term-limited or didn’t seek re-election. The new council will consist of Tuesday's top five vote getters, which are Lud Henry, James Richard, Kevin Hebert, Colleen Askew and Raymond Price.
Garrett Grogan was elected Patterson police chief by getting 55 percent, 1,151 votes. He defeated James Carinhas, who had 29 percent or 598 votes, and Craig Verdine, who got 17 percent or 353 votes.
Former Patterson Police Chief Patrick LaSalle retired in March. Janis Merritt is currently serving as interim police chief, but the city charter doesn’t allow the interim chief to seek election.
Patterson Mayor Rodney Grogan was easily re-elected to a third term, getting 72 percent, 1,492 votes. Challenger Bealizeia “Billy” Badeaux received 28 percent, or 585 votes.
For the Patterson council race, one new member, Lee Condolle, was elected, while incumbents Travis Darnell, John Rentrop, Joe Russo and Sandra Turner were all re-elected. Councilman Larry Mendoza didn’t seek re-election.
In the Morgan City District 4 Council race, Steve Domangue got just enough votes, 51 percent and 525 votes, to win the election outright. Jarrod Wiggins got 33 percent, 335 votes, and John DuBois received 16 percent, 164 votes.
The District 4 race was to fill the seat of former Councilman James Fontenot, who resigned about a year ago. Ray Autrey is serving as interim councilman, but didn’t run for election.
Arthur reflected on being elected Berwick mayor after 12 years as a councilman.
“Being a councilman and being mayor is two completely different things,” Arthur said. “If a mayor chooses not to bring something up, then it never gets brought up.”
“I think it’s going to be an exciting time in Berwick, and I’m just glad to be part of it,” Arthur said.
Arthur also expressed gratitude to Boudreaux for his efforts running for mayor.
Town officials plan to put much effort into improving Berwick’s infrastructure, including roads and drainage, Arthur said.
Arthur thinks he’ll be able to work together well with the new council members who have some “fresh ideas,” he said. Berwick leaders hope to draw more interest along Front Street and encourage new business to move there, he said.
Arthur retired earlier this year as director of the St. Mary Parish Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. Arthur also was previously Berwick police chief for 12 years.
Garrett Grogan, who’s been a Patterson police officer for 26 years, is excited and glad that the election is over, he said. He plans to put people “in places where they need to be” within the police department, he said.
He also wants to try to “put Patterson like it was before when Chief LaSalle was there,” he said.
Garrett Grogan has “done a little bit of everything” within the department having been in the juvenile, narcotics and detectives divisions.
“I’m still going to work closely with the guys and work on cases,” he said. “I’m still going to be putting my feet to the ground and making things happen for the city of Patterson.”
Patterson Mayor Rodney Grogan said being elected to a third term was a “vote of confidence from the citizens of Patterson” in his administration, and he was extremely appreciative of that.
He received 54 percent of the vote in the 2010 election and then 60 percent in the 2014 election.
“To increase by 12 percent to be elected for a third term, it really speaks volumes,” Rodney Grogan said.
The Patterson mayor pointed to improvements to infrastructure as something his administration has worked to improve in the city.
Rodney Grogan’s No. 1 priority during his next term is to make corrections in the city charter, and he hopes to bring charter amendments to voters’ ballots next fall. He especially wants to make charter changes to give sole hiring and firing authority to the police chief within the police department.
The race for St. Mary Parish sheriff is headed for a Dec. 8 runoff between Interim Sheriff Scott Anslum and former Chitimacha Police Chief Blaise Smith.
Anslum has served as interim sheriff since January when former Sheriff Mark Hebert retired. The winner of the runoff will serve the remaining year of Hebert’s term.
Anslum has over 25 years of experience in law enforcement. Smith has 47 years of law enforcement experience and spent his last seven years as police chief of the sovereign nation of the Chitimacha.
In the Tuesday primary, Anslum received 34 percent of the vote, or 5,982 votes, while Smith got 23 percent, or 4,046 votes. Morgan City Mayor Frank “Boo” Grizzaffi was a close third in the sheriff’s race, receiving 22 percent, or 3,891 votes, according to complete but unofficial results on the Louisiana Secretary of State’s website.
Lonnie LaBouve got 11 percent, 1,906 votes, and Carl Thornton had 9 percent, 1,608 votes.
“We worked hard to get to this point,” Anslum said. “We’re going to continue to work hard as we move into the runoff portion of the election.”
Smith thanked everyone who exercised their right to vote whether they voted for him or not.
“With five candidates, we offered a lot for the citizens of St. Mary Parish,” Smith said. “I’m just pleased to be in the runoff.”
Anslum expressed thanks to his family, friends, supporters, sheriff’s office employees and the other candidates in the race who made the sacrifice to run for office.
“The public’s spoken … how important it is for law enforcement to be a big part of being the sheriff,” Anslum said.
Smith worked in “about every aspect of law enforcement that you can be through,” he said. He also has the leadership experience that should be required for a sheriff, Smith said.
Before becoming interim sheriff, Anslum was chief deputy for the sheriff’s office. Anslum is a former St. Mary Parish jail warden and served on a federal task force with the Drug Enforcement Agency for over five years.
“I’ve been very fortunate. I’ve worked hard as I worked up and was promoted through the ranks,” Anslum said.
Anslum said he has “the unique experience” of being a sheriff of which the community can be proud.
Smith pointed to several key issues, including doing a better job with uniform patrol and securing the parish jail in Centerville in the aftermath of five inmates escaping in June, he said.
There are also “some budget issues that we need to take a look at,” Smith said.
Louisiana secretary of state's race moves to December runoff
By MELINDA DESLATTE, Associated Press
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana's special election to fill a secretary of state seat vacated because of a sexual harassment scandal headed to a December runoff between Republican Kyle Ardoin and Democrat Gwen Collins-Greenup.
While the election chief's job won't be settled until Dec. 8, Louisiana voters in Tuesday's open primary agreed to return six U.S. House incumbents to Washington for another term and approved the rewrite of six provisions in the state constitution. One winning constitutional amendment that attracted intense support across the political spectrum will require unanimous jury verdicts for all felony convictions.
SECRETARY OF STATE
Voters whittled down the competition to be Louisiana's next secretary of state from nine to two contenders, including a Democrat who wasn't the favored candidate of her party.
The winner of the December runoff will complete the remaining year of the term of Republican Tom Schedler, who resigned in May amid allegations he sexually harassed an employee. The secretary of state oversees elections, state archives and business registrations.
Ardoin was Schedler's top aide and worked in the interim position after Schedler stepped down. While he repeatedly said he wouldn't run, Ardoin announced in the final minutes of the candidate sign-up period that he changed his mind and would be on the ballot. Though only in the top job a few months, Ardoin ran as an incumbent.
Collins-Greenup, a lawyer and notary from Clinton, reached the runoff even though the Louisiana Democratic Party instead endorsed and supported Renee Fontenot Free, a former first assistant to two secretaries of state who most recently worked for the attorney general.
Collins-Greenup raised only about $3,000 for her campaign. But she focused on low-expense efforts, traveling to speak at small forums, luncheons and other events and seeking support among African-American voters.
Republicans who ran but didn't make the runoff included Turkey Creek Mayor Heather Cloud, former state Sen. A.G. Crowe of Pearl River, state Rep. Rick Edmonds of Baton Rouge, and state Rep. Julie Stokes of Kenner.
Stokes outspent nearly everyone else in the race, only to come in behind at least three other candidates.
U.S. HOUSE SEATS
All six of Louisiana's incumbent congressmen won their re-election bids: Republicans Steve Scalise in the 1st District, Clay Higgins in the 3rd District, Mike Johnson in the 4th District, Ralph Abraham in the 5th District, and Garret Graves in the 6th District and Democrat Cedric Richmond in the 2nd District.
Their opponents significantly lagged in the financing to mount the sort of advertising and outreach effort often needed to oust a sitting member of Congress.
Scalise and Richmond are positioned for continued high-profile leadership roles in Congress. Scalise is the House's third-ranking Republican while Richmond is chairman of the influential Congressional Black Caucus. Both are expected to remain in prominent positions next term.
In his first term in office, Higgins overcame the most challengers, with six contenders trying to oust him from the district representing southwest and south central Louisiana. He was also the only Louisiana congressman to face an intra-party fight.
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS
There were six proposals to change the Louisiana Constitution.
Voters approved Amendment 1 to make convicted state felons wait five years after serving their sentences before they can run for office in Louisiana, unless they are pardoned.
Voters approved Amendment 2 to end a Jim Crow-era law that allows split juries to convict people of serious felony crimes. Louisiana was one of two states that permitted non-unanimous verdicts in felony cases. Starting Jan. 1, all felony jury verdicts will have to be unanimous to convict.
Voters approved Amendment 3 to authorize local government agencies to share equipment and staff for a specific activity if they have a written agreement, without any compensation needing to be exchanged.
Voters approved Amendment 4 to prohibit use of money from Louisiana's Transportation Trust Fund, which contains state gasoline and fuel tax income, to pay for state police operations. Instead, the money will only be spent on road, bridge, port and airport work.
Voters approved Amendment 5 to extend Louisiana's special property tax assessments for the elderly, disabled veterans and surviving spouses of people in the military, law enforcement, firefighters and emergency medical technicians who die in the line of duty to homes placed in a trust.
Voters approved Amendment 6 to require a four-year phase-in of higher property taxes when a tax assessor's reappraisal boosts a home's value by more than 50 percent. The change won't apply if the home is sold or its value was bumped up by construction or upgrades.
FANTASY SPORTS
Voters decided on a parish-by-parish basis whether to legalize cash-league fantasy sports contests through online sites such as DraftKings and FanDuel.
With fantasy sports websites, people can create imaginary teams of real-life sports players and score points based on how those players perform in actual games. The sites charge an entry fee and offer payouts to winners.
Louisiana is one of nine states that haven't allowed online fantasy sports betting. Though the games only will be permitted in parishes where voters authorize it, anybody will be able to log into the fantasy sports sites if they travel to those parishes.
HOW ST. MARY VOTED
Secretary of State
51 of 51 precincts reporting - 100%
absentee reporting - 100%
4,284 Kyle Ardoin (REP) 25%
1,506 Heather Cloud (REP) 9%
3,184 "Gwen" Collins-Greenup (DEM) 19%
395 A.G. Crowe (REP) 2%
1,256 "Rick" Edmonds (REP) 7%
2,232 Renee Fontenot Free (DEM) 13%
2,434 Thomas J. Kennedy III (REP) 14%
435 Matthew Paul "Matt" Moreau (NOPTY) 3%
1,404 Julie Stokes (REP) 8%
Total: 17,130
Unofficial Turnout: 51.6%
Judge, Court of Appeal -- 1st Circuit, 1st Dist., Elec. Sec. 2, Division A
51 of 51 precincts reporting - 100%
absentee reporting - 100% Votes
6,127 Ellen Daigle Doskey (NOPTY) 40%
9,347 Walter "Walt" Lanier III (REP) 60%
Total: 15,474
Unofficial Turnout: 46.6%
Unofficial Turnout: 52.5%
CA NO. 1 (ACT 719 - SB 31) -- Prohibit felon from public office
51 of 51 precincts reporting - 100%
absentee reporting - 100% Votes
12,812 YES 76%
4,120 NO 24%
Total: 16,932
Unofficial Turnout: 51.0%
CA NO. 2 (ACT 722 - SB 243) -- Unanimous jury for noncapital felonies
51 of 51 precincts reporting - 100%
absentee reporting - 100% Votes
10,698 YES 63%
6,156 NO 37%
Total: 16,854
Unofficial Turnout: 50.8%
CA NO. 3 (ACT 717 - SB 263) -- Permit donations from political subdivisions
51 of 51 precincts reporting - 100%
absentee reporting - 100% Votes
8,993 YES 55%
7,402 NO 45%
Total: 16,395
Unofficial Turnout: 49.4%
CA NO. 4 (ACT 720 - SB 59) -- Transportation Trust Fund
51 of 51 precincts reporting - 100%
absentee reporting - 100% Votes
8,839 YES 54%
7,554 NO 46%
Total: 16,393
Unofficial Turnout: 49.4%
CA NO. 5 (ACT 721 - SB 163) -- Extend eligibility for tax exemptions
Runs in multiple parishes
51 of 51 precincts reporting - 100%
absentee reporting - 100% Votes
12,019 YES 73%
4,381 NO 27%
Total: 16,400
Unofficial Turnout: 49.4%
CA NO. 6 (ACT 718 - SB 164) -- Reappraisal of residential property
51 of 51 precincts reporting - 100%
absentee reporting - 100% Votes
9,702 YES 60%
6,583 NO 40%
Total: 16,285
Unofficial Turnout: 49.0%
Duval Arthur will be the new mayor of Berwick, while Patterson re-elected Mayor Rodney Grogan in Tuesday's primary according to complete but unofficial returns.
Also in Patterson, Garrett S. Grogan won a three-candidate race outright to become the city's new police chief.
In Berwick, Mayor Louis Ratcliff and three of the five council members were term-limited, and the two remaining council members decided not to run for re-election. Duval moves to the council table's middle chair after serving on the council.
Garrett Grogan got 55 percent of the vote to beat James Carinhas and Craig A. Verdine in the race to succeed longtime Police Chief Patrick LaSalle, who resigned last spring.
Also in Patterson, six people qualified to run at large for five council seats. One of those seats is being vacated by incumbent Larry Mendoza, who didn't run for re-election.
The other four incumbents were re-elected. And for the fifth spot, Lee Condolle got 1,069 votes to edge William "Billy" Picou Jr. by just nine votes.
Mayor -- City of Patterson
6 of 6 precincts reporting - 100%
absentee reporting - 100% Votes
585 Bealizeia "Billy" Badeaux (NOPTY) 28%
1,495 Rodney A. Grogan (DEM) 72%
Total: 2,080
Unofficial Turnout: 54.5%
Mayor -- Town of Berwick
5 of 5 precincts reporting - 100%
absentee reporting - 100%
1,492 Duval H. Arthur, Jr. (NOPTY) 81%
353 Jessie J. Boudreaux (NOPTY) 19%
Total: 1,845
Unofficial Turnout: 59.1%
Chief of Police -- City of Patterson
6 of 6 precincts reporting - 100%
absentee reporting - 100%
598 James P. Carinhas (DEM) 29%
1,151 Garrett S. Grogan (DEM) 55%
349 Craig A. Verdine, Sr. (DEM) 17%
Total: 2,098
Unofficial Turnout: 54.9%
Chief of Police -- Town of Baldwin
4 of 4 precincts reporting - 100%
absentee reporting - 100% Votes
474 Harry "Boo Boo" Smith, Jr. (DEM) 58%
338 Albert "Al" Thibodaux (DEM) 42%
Total: 812
Unofficial Turnout: 54.0%
Aldermen -- Town of Baldwin
4 of 4 precincts reporting - 100%
absentee reporting - 100% Votes
474 Harry "Boo Boo" Smith, Jr. (DEM) 58%
338 Albert "Al" Thibodaux (DEM) 42%
Total: 812
Unofficial Turnout: 54.0%
Council Member(s) -- City of Patterson
(5 to be elected)
6 of 6 precincts reporting - 100%
absentee reporting - 100% Votes
1,069 Lee Condolle (DEM) 14%
1,437 Travis "T.D." Darnell (DEM) 19%
1,060 William "Billy" Picou, Jr. (REP) 14%
1,346 John C. Rentrop (DEM) 18%
1,418 "Joe" Russo III (DEM) 18%
1,354 Sandra K. Turner (DEM) 18%
Total: 7,684
Unofficial Turnout: 40.2%
Councilman -- District 4, City of Morgan City
6 of 6 precincts reporting - 100%
absentee reporting - 100% Votes
525 "Steve" Domangue (REP) 51%
164 John M. DuBois (REP) 16%
335 Jarrod J. Wiggins (REP) 33%
Total: 1,024
Unofficial Turnout: 60.9%
Councilmen -- Town of Berwick
(5 of 5 precincts reporting - 100%
absentee reporting - 100% Votes
843 Colleen Nicklas Askew (REP) 10%
304 Scott Babin (REP) 4%
765 Casie Robison Callais (REP) 9%
853 Kevin P. Hebert (REP) 10%
1,300 "Lud" Henry (REP) 16%
597 Duane Lodrigue (NOPTY) 7%
671 Randal Monceaux (REP) 8%
471 "Josh" Montgomery (REP) 6%
843 Raymond P. Price (REP) 10%
951 James Richard (REP) 12%
179 Tiffany V. Rodrigue (NOPTY) 2%
408 Francis Scott Sicard (NOPTY) 5%
Total: 8,185
Unofficial Turnout: 52.5%
Incumbent Wayne Deslatte has been re-elected to the St. Mary Parish School Board from District 7, according to complete but unofficial returns Tuesday night.
Meanwhile, two new members will take seats on the board: Alaina Black in District 9, and Dwight D. Barbier in District 10.
With all five precincts counted, Deslatte received 1,110 votes, or 70 percent, to 467, or 30 percent, for Ronald Joseph.
In the races for two open seats, Black had 910 votes, or 59 percent, to defeat Christie K. Dragna, who had 639 votes, or 41 percent. in District 10, Barbier received 1,047 votes, or 64 percent, to 588 or 36 percent for C.E. Bourg II in District 10.
The two school board seats became open when Anthony Streva and Bill McCarty didn't qualify for re-election.
District 7
5 of 5 precincts reporting - 100%
absentee reporting - 100%
1,110 Wayne Deslatte (NOPTY) 70%
467 Ronald Joseph (DEM) 30%
Total: 1,577
Unofficial Turnout: 53.5%
District 9
5 of 5 precincts reporting - 100%
absentee reporting - 100%
910 Alaina L. Black (REP) 59%
639 Christie K. Dragna (REP) 41%
Total: 1,549
Unofficial Turnout: 49.2%
District 10
5 of 5 precincts reporting - 100%
absentee reporting - 100% Votes
1,047 Dwight D. Barbier (NOPTY) 64%
588 "C. E." Bourg II (REP) 36%
Total: 1,635
Unofficial Turnout: 54.7%
Interim incumbent Scott Anslum and law enforcement veteran Blaise Smith will be in the Dec. 8 runoff to decide who will be St. Mary Parish's sheriff.
Anslum was the top vote-getter in the five-candidate field Tuesday with 5,982 votes, or 34 percent, according to complete but unofficial results. The returns were delayed until 11:15 p.m. by a technical glitch that prevented east St. Mary returns from being uploaded to the Secretary of State's Office.
Smith had 4,046 votes or 23 percent to edge Morgan City Mayor Frank "Boo" Grizzaffi, who had 3,891 votes, out of the runoff.
In the coroner's race, Eric Melancon got 6,805 votes, or 41 percent, to lead the three-candidate field. He'll face interim incumbent Lianter Albert, who got 5,878 votes, or 36 percent. Natchez "Trey" Morice finished out of the running with 3,874, or 23 percent.
In other Tuesday results, St. Mary voters decided to authorize fantasy sports gambling by a 59-41 margin.
And property tax renewals for Fire Protection District No. 3 in Amelia and Consolidated Gravity Drainage District No. 2 in the Morgan City area passed easily.
Sheriff
51 of 51 precincts reporting - 100%
absentee reporting - 100%
5,982 Scott Anslum (NOPTY) 34%
3,891 Frank "Boo" Grizzaffi (NOPTY) 22%
1,906 Lonnie LaBouve (NOPTY) 11%
4,046 Blaise W. Smith (DEM) 23%
1,608 Carl J. Thornton (REP) 9%
Total: 17,433
Unofficial Turnout: 52.5%
Coroner
51 of 51 precincts reporting - 100%
absentee reporting - 100%
5,878 Lianter Albert (NOPTY) 36%
6,805 Eric Melancon (REP) 41%
3,874 Natchez "Trey" Morice (REP) 23%
Total: 16,557
Unofficial Turnout: 49.9%
PW Fantasy Sports -- Authorize Fantasy Sports Contests - Act 322, 2018
51 of 51 precincts reporting - 100%
absentee reporting - 100%
9,694 YES 59%
6,682 NO 41%
Unofficial Turnout: 49.3%
Total: 3,747
Fire Protection District No. 3 -- 10 Mills Renewal - BOC - 10 Yrs.
1 of 1 precincts reporting - 100%
absentee reporting - 100%
194 YES 69%
88 NO 31%
Total: 282
Unofficial Turnout: 35.3%
Cons. Gravity Drainage District No. 2 -- 5 Mills Continuation - BOC - 10 Yrs.
12 of 12 precincts reporting - 100%
absentee reporting - 100% Votes
2,490 YES 66%
1,257 NO 34%
Total: 3,747
Unofficial Turnout: 48.3%
First-term U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins, who came to prominence with tough-talking Crimestopper spots for the St. Landry Parish Sheriff's Office, was re-elected Tuesday in the 3rd Congressional District without the need for a runoff.
With 95 percent of the precincts counted, Higgins, R-Port Barre, had 56 percent of the vote, or 136,871.
His closest challenger is Lafayette Democrat Mimi Methvin, who had 18 percent of the vote, or 43,727.
Methvin, a former federal magistrate from Lafayette, followed the pattern among the challengers to Higgins: She focused on her issues, including coastal restoration and health care reform, while avoiding direct confrontation with Higgins in a year when President Donald J. Trump was a key issue across the country.
The candidate who engaged Higgins most directly was a fellow Republican, Josh Guillory of Youngsville, who criticized Higgins for living outside the 3rd Congressional District.
After winning the right to succeed U.S. Rep. Charles Boustany by upsetting fellow Republican Scott Angelle in 2016, Higgins shed his "Cajun John Wayne" persona and worked on key local issues, including a successful attempt to get money for Port of Morgan City dredging and legislation requiring more inspections for imported seafood.
But he remains a hard-liner on immigration and visiting the U.S.-Mexico border to advocate for a tougher stand.
Districtwide
567 of 567 precincts reporting - 100%
absentee reporting - 100% Votes
13,477 "Rob" Anderson (DEM) 5%
2,967 Aaron J. Andrus (LBT) 1%
31,387 "Josh" Guillory (REP) 13%
136,871 Clay Higgins (REP) 56%
43,727 Mildred "Mimi" Methvin (DEM) 18%
9,692 Larry Rader (DEM) 4%
7,814 Verone Thomas (DEM) 3%
Total: 245,935
Unofficial Turnout: 48.6%
In St. Mary Parish
51 of 51 precincts reporting - 100%
absentee reporting - 100% Votes
969 "Rob" Anderson (DEM) 6%
161 Aaron J. Andrus (LBT) 1%
1,300 "Josh" Guillory (REP) 8%
10,029 Clay Higgins (REP) 58%
3,081 Mildred "Mimi" Methvin (DEM) 18%
965 Larry Rader (DEM) 6%
748 Verone Thomas (DEM) 4%
Total: 17,253
Unofficial Turnout: 52.0%
Scott Perkins and Dr. Erica St. Romain Brunson may live almost 2,000 miles apart, but the duo’s families are closer than one may think.
Both received plaques — Perkins’ recognizing his father posthumously — as Glenn Perkins as and Brunson were inducted into the Berwick High School Athletic Hall of Fame prior to Berwick’s 42-20 home-coming victory against Abbeville Oct. 26.
Glenn Perkins and his family lived next door to Brunson’s mother’s family in Bayou Vista, and Scott Perkins was good friends with Brunson’s mother, Martha, and one of her sisters as the trio grew up.
“Actually, they moved into the house that I grew up in,” Perkins said of Brunson’s parents, noting that Brunson grew up in the same house he did.
Years later, Brunson would go on to record a decorated career as a Berwick High School athlete, excelling in basketball and softball.
The 1996 Berwick High graduate said this honor recognizes more than just her, noting her family and teammates and coaches who all helped her throughout her career.
“It’s a very humbling honor that somebody thought to nominate me,” she said.
While she said basketball was her sport going into high school, it was softball that would take her places.
Regardless, she excelled in both on the prep level.
On the hardwood, St. Ro-main was a three-time first-team all-district selection in basketball and four-time best offensive player. She earned Class 3A Academic All-District and Class 3A Academic All-State honors during the in the 1995-96 season.
On the softball diamond, she was the Team MVP three straight seasons from 1994-1996 and was named Berwick’s Female Athletic of the Year three times from 1994-1996,
Brunson was named the 1995 District 8-AA MVP, the 1996 District 6-AAA MVP and a 1995 All-State catcher.
She earned Academic All-District and All-State honors.
Additionally, she was named the West’s squad’s Most Outstanding Player in the 1996 Louisiana High School Coaches Association All-Star Game.
She said her best memory of high school came as a senior in softball when a young team of which not much was expected in terms of a postseason run advanced to the semifinals.
“That had to be the hardest-working young team that we had, so that was a big accomplishment,” Brunson said.
She went on to play softball at Louisiana Tech where she was a four-year starter from 1997-2000.
She set several school records at the time for single-season home runs and RBIs and career home runs, RBIs and fielding percentage. She also was tied for the highest career slugging average.
Brunson was Team MVP in 1998, Defensive Player of the Year and selected to the U.S. Olympic Team Camp.
In 1999, she was named Offensive Player of the year and an Academic All-American.
In 2000, she was named an NFCA All-American Scholar Athlete.
After graduating from Louisiana Tech with an undergraduate degree in 2000, she went on to receive a Masters of Physical Therapy from LSU Health Sciences Center in Shreveport in 2003 and a Doctorate of Physical Thera-py from LSU Health Sciences Center in 2009.
She and her husband re-side in Patterson with their children.
Glenn Perkins, who passed away in April 2013, was Berwick’s first head football coach and also served as athletic director from 1958 to 1964.
During his time leading the Panthers, he recorded a 10-1 mark in 1960, an 8-2 mark in 1962 and a district championship during the 1963 season in which the Panthers were ranked No. 1 in the state and reached the state semifinals.
Scott Perkins, who lives in Los Angeles, said he was “honored” to accept the award on his father’s behalf and noted approximately 10 of his father’s former players came on the field with him for the award presentation.
“One even drove in from Houston just to be there for that evening,” Scott Perkins, a 1976 Berwick alum, said. “My dad, he loved his boys. He loved his players, and they loved him. Some came to his funeral. … They just said he meant as much to them as their fathers and grandfathers. He was just like a man that really set an example for them all their lives. It means a lot to hear that. They reiterated that (at the ceremony).”
During his time at Berwick, Perkins also served as head track coach and assistant basketball coach in addition to his teaching duties.
He went on to serve as principal at Wyandotte Elementary and Morgan City High School before eventually becoming the supervisor of instruction for St. Mary Parish Schools.
A West Virginia man was arrested in Morgan City on multiple charges after police responded to a shoplifter at a business, Police Chief James Blair said in a news release.
—Matthew A. Wilson, 24, of Bluefield, West Virginia, was arrested at 12:10 p.m. Monday on charges of theft less than $1,000, criminal damage to property, resisting an officer, misrepresentation during booking and on warrants charging him with bank fraud, access device fraud and probation violation.
Officers responded to a business on La. 182 in regard to a shoplifter. When officers arrived, they observed an individual running toward the rear of the business. Officers pursued the individual, who was seen running into one of the hotels on Allison Street where he was subsequently apprehended.
The items taken were valued at $40.40, and he damaged one of the doors while trying to flee, Blair said. The individual identified himself under an alias and was transported to the police department. During the booking process, the individual was identified as Wilson.
Wilson had an active warrant for the Morgan City Police Department. The warrant stems for a September incident that alleges Wilson used a stolen credit card at several businesses in the area. Wilson also holds an active warrant for probation violation for the Tazewell County Sheriff Office in West Virginia. Wilson was additionally charged and jailed.
Blair reported that officers responded to 50 calls and reported the following arrests:
—Jose A. Melendez, 32, of Sebbys Lane in Bayou Vista, was arrested at 2:59 a.m. Monday on a charge of disturbing the peace.
Officers responded to a home on Hilda St. in regards to a disturbance. Police arrived and were told that Melendez had come to the home, began hitting the door and yelling profanities, Blair said.
Officers located Melendez in the area and arrested. He was jailed.
—Rebecca Price, 47, of Gen. McArthur Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 8:07 a.m. Monday on a warrant charging her with simple cruelty to an animal.
Price was arrested at the police department on a warrant. The warrant stems from a September incident that alleges Price did not provide adequate care for animals in her custody. Price was jailed.
—Hope M. Martin, 41, of Eighth Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 9:34 a.m. Monday on a warrant charging her with failure to appear for issuing worthless checks. Martin was located at her home and arrested on a warrant for the Vernon Parish Sheriff’s Office. Martin was jailed.
—Patrick B. Stewart, 35, of North Bayou Black Road in Gibson, was arrested at 10:42 a.m. Monday on a warrant charging him with failure to appear for trial and on a charge of possession of marijuana.
An officer patrolling the area of La. 182 near David Drive observed a vehicle with improper lighting. A traffic stop was conducted and the driver, Stewart, had a warrant for city court and was also in possession of suspected marijuana, Blair said. Stewart was jailed.
Berwick Police Chief James Richard reported the following arrest:
—Matthew Wilson, 24, of Bluefield, West Virginia, was arrested at 5:01 p.m. Monday on warrants charging him with three counts of simple burglary, one count of identity theft and on charges of possession of clonazepam, possession of marijuana and entering contraband into a penal institution.
Franklin Police Chief Tina Thibodeaux reported the following arrest relating to east St. Mary Parish:
—Kurtis Wesley, 34, of Plum Street in Patterson, was arrested at 8:08 p.m. Monday on charges of violation of controlled dangerous substance in drug free zone, possession of marijuana, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in the presence of a controlled dangerous substance. Wesley was jailed with no bail set yet.
Patterson Police Chief Janis Merritt reported no arrests.
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