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Staff Report
The St. Mary Parish Council will get a closed-door report on negotiations for find a new management company for Teche Regional Medical Center.
The Hospital Service District No. 2 board will brief the council and President David Hanagriff in a special meeting at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the Whitney Bank Building, 201 Everett St. in Morgan City.
LifePoint Health has operated the hospital under a lease with the district since 2005.
But LifePoint, based in Tennessee, has announced its intention to pull out of its operations in Morgan City and other Louisiana location.
Earlier this month, the hospital announced that LifePoint and the district board had agreed on undisclosed terms for ending the remainder of the lease.
The district board has consistently operated in secret “executive sessions” in its relationship with LifePoint, citing a state law written to help rural health care facilities make themselves more competitive.
Members of the Teche Regional staff came to the Sept. 12 parish council meeting to express concerns about LifePoint’s departure and the difficulty in attracting physicians to small towns.
State Rep. Sam Jones, D-Franklin, said the hospital deal should be more transparent. Morgan City Council member Lou Tamporello said the district hasn’t been good at working with the staff or the community.
LifePoint and the district board clashed beginning in 2015 over the district board’s attempt to appoint one of its own members, Dr. Natchez “Trey” Morice, to Teche Regional’s own board.
Both parties agreed that the lease called for one district board member to be on the hospital board.
A LifePoint entity, PHC-Morgan City, maintained that its lease gave it the power to name which district board member would serve on the hospital board. The Teche Regional board’s choice was Dr. Tomas Birriel.
But the district board argued that it had an implied right to name one of its members to the Teche Regional board.
In at least three meetings, according to court records, the district board tried to name Morice to the Teche Regional board, and even threatened at one point to hold PHC-Morgan City to be in default on the terms of its lease.
PHC-Morgan City sued the district board, and in April 2017 16th Judicial District Judge Vincent J. Borne ruled that the lease gives the hospital the right to pick the district commissioner who will serve on the Teche Regional Board.
Since then, the district board has frequently listed closed-door discussion of the lawsuit on its monthly meeting agendas, citing the Enhanced Ability to Compete Act.

Mildred Luker Joy, a resident of Lafayette, Louisiana, and a former resident of Patterson, Louisiana, passed away peacefully at the age of 87 Sunday, September 16, 2018, at her home in Lafayette.
Survivors include her five children, Wilton Robert “Bob” Cason Jr., David Victor Cason, Cathy Anne Cason, Lynette Cason Lutz and her husband Dean, and Amanda Cason Sonnier and her husband Tony; her brother, J. D. Luker and his wife Sein; and her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Joseph R. Joy Jr.; her father and stepmother, James M. Luker and Marion Luker; her mother, Winnie Price Wolf; and her stepfather, Haskell Knight.
Memorial services will be held at First Baptist Church, 1100 Lee Ave. in Lafayette, on Friday, September 21, 2018, at 10 a.m., with a gathering of family and friends beginning at 9 a.m. The Rev. Steve Horn will conduct the services. Inurnment will be held privately at a later date in the Patterson Protestant Cemetery.
Family and friends may view the obituary and express their condolences online by visiting www.iberts.com. Arrangements have been entrusted to Ibert’s Mortuary, Inc., 1111 Lia Street, Patterson, LA 70392, (985) 395-7873.

Six days after taking down Division V’s second-ranked team, the Central Catholic Lady Eagles upset Division V’s top-ranked team Monday with a 3-2 (25-17, 17-25, 20-25, 25-21, 15-10) win against Lafayette Christian Monday in Morgan City.
Central Catholic, Division V’s seventh-ranked squad according to the latest Louisiana High School Athletic Association Division V power rankings released last week, was led by Yani Johnson, who totaled 23 kills, one ace, five digs and nine blocks. Other top Central Catholic offensive contributors were Katie Hoffpauir, 35 assists, 11 digs and one ace; Brooke Lipari, 32 digs; Bailee Lipari, five kills and 14 digs; and Caroline Green, six kills and two blocks.
This past weekend, Central Catholic finished 5-0 to win Brusly’s Tournament.
The Lady Eagles defeated Delcambre, St. James, Plaquemine, University Lab and St. Martin’s Episcopal.
Against Delcambre, Central Catholic won 2-0 (25-12, 25-15).
In the win, Central Catholic had seven solo blocks.
Johnson and Hoffpauir led the Lady Eagles. Johnson had 10 kills, one dig and three solo blocks, while Hoffpauir had one kill, 20 assists and three digs. Other top Central Catholic contributors were Bailee Lipari, two kills, one ace and five digs; Emma Simmons, one kill and five digs; Green, four kills, one dig and four solo blocks; Brooke Lipari, five digs; and Lexi Landry, one kill and one ace.
Against St. James, Central Catholic won 2-0 (25-9, 25-5).
In the win, Central Catholic had seven aces.
Hoffpauir led the squad with two kills, eight assists, one ace and two digs. Other top Central Catholic offensive contributors were Brooke Lipari, seven digs; Symone Wiggins, five aces; Green, three kills and one dig; and Johnson, three kills.
Against Plaquemine, Central Catholic won 2-0 (25-9, 25-12).
As a team, Central Catholic had 11 aces.
Hoffpauir led the team with one kill, 12 assists, two aces and two digs. Other top contributors were Johnson, six kills and one solo block; Green, five kills and one solo block; Simmons, seven aces and one dig; and Brooke Lipari, one ace and seven digs.
Against U-High, Central Catholic won 2-0 (25-21, 25-11).
Johnson led Central Catholic with nine kills, two digs and three solo blocks. Other top contributors were Hoffpauir, two kills, 18 assists, one ace and two digs; Brooke Lipari, one kill, one ace and 11 digs; Bailee Lipari, three kills, two aces and eight digs; and Ava Nicar, one kill and six digs.
Against St. Martin’s, Central Catholic won 2-0 (25-9, 25-14).
The Lady Eagles had seven aces and five solo blocks.
Johnson led Central Catholic with nine kills, two aces, two digs and two solo blocks. Other top Central Catholic contributors were Hoffpauir, one kill, 19 assists, two aces and six digs; Green, four kills, two digs and two solo blocks; and Brooke Lipari, one ace and eight digs.
MCHS finishes
runner-up
Morgan City High School finished as runner-up in its annual Lady Tiger Classic Saturday.
Morgan City finished the tournament 5-1 falling to Westlake in the finals in a matchup of Division III top five teams. Westlake is Division III’s second-ranked squad, while Morgan City is ranked fifth.
Thursday, Morgan City defeated Patterson 2-0 (25-15, 25-11) and Isidore Newman 2-0 (25-19, 25-20).
Saturday, Morgan City finished pool play with wins against New Iberia 2-0 (25-9, 25-10) and Central Lafourche 2-0 (25-9, 25-18).
In bracket play, Morgan City defeated Hahnville 2-1 (25-11, 23-25, 15-12) before falling to Westlake 2-0 (25-17, 25-11).
No individual stats were available from any of these contests.
On Sept. 11, Morgan City defeated Delcambre 3-0 (25-10, 25-18, 25-11) in Morgan City.
Sh’Diamond Holly and Karmen Peterson led Morgan City. Holly had one ace, nine kills, one solo block, one block assist, three assists and seven digs. Peterson recorded 10 aces, 11 kills, one assist and three digs. Other top Morgan City contributors were Jolee Nini, one ace, two kills, 27 assists and nine digs; Haylie Crappell, two aces, seven kills, one assist and five digs; McKenzi Smith, two aces, one assist and six digs; Jamia Francois, five kills and one dig; Hallie Blanchard, three aces and three digs; and Nia Lightfoot, two kills, one block assist and one dig.
In junior varsity action, Morgan City won 2-0 (25-10, 25-10), while in freshmen play, Morgan City fell 2-1 (25-19, 10-25, 6-25).
Patterson finishes 1-3
at tournament
Patterson finished 1-3 at Morgan City’s Lady Tiger Classic last week.
Thursday, the Lumberjills fell to New Iberia and Morgan City, while Saturday, Patterson defeated Central Lafourche before falling to Newman.
Against New Iberia, Patterson fell 2-1 (22-25, 25-17, 7-15).
Kara Lawrence led the squad with three aces, five kills and four digs. Other top Patterson contributors were Briyanna Butler, six kills and three blocks; Gabby Marcel, five kills and three digs; Katelyn Larson, two aces, one kill and six digs; Emma Marin, four digs and six assists; and Deja Dugar, five digs and four assists.
Against Morgan City, Patterson fell 2-0 (25-15, 25-11).
Lawrence led Patterson with two kills and seven digs. Other top Patterson contributors were Larson, six digs; Marcel, two aces, two kills and one dig; Marin, three digs and two assists; Butler, two kills and one block; and Dugar, two assists.
No individual stats were available from Saturday’s contests.
On Sept. 11, Patterson defeated Abbeville on the road 3-0 (25-19, 25-20, 25-14).
Lawrence led Patterson with 10 aces, two kills and one dig. Other top Patterson contributors were Butler, six kills and one block; Marcel, three aces, three kills, two digs and one assist; Emma Marin, one ace, one dig and seven assists; and Alayah Williams, five aces and four digs.
Berwick finishes 2-2
at MCHS tourney
The Berwick Lady Panthers finished 2-2 at Morgan City’s Lady Tiger Classic last week.
Thursday, Berwick fell to H.L. Bourgeois 2-0 (25-21, 25-16) and defeated Ellender 2-0 (25-13, 25-18).
Saturday, the Lady Panthers fell to Westlake 2-0 (25-18, 25-19) and topped West St. Mary (25-2, 25-10).
No individual stats were available from any of these contests.

Dr. Roberto Llopis is the dentist and creator of Urgent Dental Care, a full-service dental office with a concentration on implants and extractions, according to news release. Urgent Dental Care currently has locations in both Lafayette and Morgan City.
Llopis has been practicing dentistry in a clinical and teaching environment for the past 24 years. He is fluent in English and Spanish. In 1993, Llopis graduated from the LSU School of Dentistry and after a fellowship concentrating on implants and oral surgery began practicing.
He served with the U.S. Army as a dental officer 1999-2009. He also was a part of the hospital dental team at Fort Polk and for three years in Aschaffenburg and Darmstadt, Germany.
Llopis held a teaching position as director of implants and surgery for the Northwestern AEGD located in Yakima, Washington, and as affiliate professor at the University of Washington, the news release said. His work brought him to teach at the Hospital de Escuela in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.