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Visitors to the Louisiana Shrimp & Petroleum Festival Aug. 31-Sept. 3 will have a chance to hear some of the best Louisiana music around.
Wayne Troups, Keith Frank and Horace Trahan are among the acts scheduled to perform at Lawrence Park. They’re part of a musical weekend that will also include talented local country and Gospel performers.
You can find the band schedule at shrimpandpetroleum.org.
Toups added a 2013 Grammy to his reputation for high-energy Cajun music. His “The Band Courtbouillon" with Steve Riley and Wilson Savoy was named Best Regional Roots Music Album in 2013.
Toups has played the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival 27 straight years and is a winner of the 2009 Album of the Year from Offbeat magazine. He was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame in 2010 and, a year later, become part of both the Gulf Coast and Cajun French Music shrines.
Horace Trahan, maker of the hit single “That Butt Thing” in 1999, is a renowned Cajun and zydeco artist respected for his accordion and vocals. The Ossun native began playing the accordion at 15 and had Felix Richard of Cankton as a mentor.
Trahan has recorded eight studio albums to date, four of which show his ability to write and produce original music. His band is The Ossun Express.
Frank and his Zydeco Soileau Band have been together since 1990. If the discussion turns to who might be the best zydeco act, his name will surely come up.
Frank has recorded 16 studio albums and released two live albums over the course of his long career.
Chase Taylor’s latest single, “Louisiana is My Home,” pays homage to the singer’s home state and culture. The song and accompanying videos have received over 700,000 plays.
Taylor has been a popular performer on the Gulf Coast since his debut album “Cut to the Chase” and follow-ups “Just Add Beer” and “Tailgate Sunset.”
Kyle Daigle of Belle River has been influenced by traditional artists as well as newcomers. At 31, he was brought up on artists including Merle Haggard, Hank Williams. He is an award-winnig singer-songwriter who has released the album containing the single “Love the Leavin.’”
Snapper and the Fishsticks combines unique song selection, instrumentation and a high-energy stage show. The nine-piece group, which includes a horn section, has been entertaining crowds in Louisiana and across the region for a decade.
Souled Out is an 11-piece band known for its interaction and choreography. It has been named Best Band three times by the Tri-Parish Times and is a three-time Couples Choice for WeddingWire.com.
Even after 17 years on the road, Souled Out prides itself on being the life of the party.
South 70 has risen from humble beginnings to become a dynamic stage presence blending Cajun, zydeco and swamp pop music. South 70 has had airplay on stations from Patterson all the way to Nashville.
Anchored with Praise Dance School of Baton Rouge was founded by owner LaShonda Kelly, who was born and raised in Morgan City. It’s a Christian-based school that gives young women an outlet to express their love for Christ.
Bernadette Steven will be back this year. A member of Spirit & Truth Church, led by Pastors Alonzo and Ollie Frank, Steven performed at the 70th NAACP Convention, where she interviewed Michael Roberts. She has music on iTunes, Amazon and Cdbaby and is a past winner of Urban Contemporary Artist and Rhythm of Gospel Awards.
Men of Zion formed in June 2010 by Travis Short. His vision was to get all the men of Mount Zion together to lift up the name of Jesus.
Also taking the stage during the festival will be Cliff Hillbran & the Anytime Band, the New Zorah Choir, Gospel Inspriations, The Earmuffs, KQKI Country Showdown winner Brittney Billiot, Low Down and Driftwood.

USHERS RALLY
At St. Luke Baptist Church, 1709 Harry D St., Patterson, at 8 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 26. Public invited.

Entergy lost about $5.9 million from unpaid electric bills during the August 2016 floods and now wants its money.
The utility is asking state regulators to allow a surcharge on monthly bills for the roughly 468,000 customers in 20 parishes, even if their accounts were never in arrears. This additional rider to monthly bills would cover the amounts not collected because of orders not shut off the lights and assess late fees on people flooded out of their homes. Entergy sells power to about 1 million customers in 59 parishes.
More than 20 inches of rain fell over two days starting Aug. 12, 2016. Several rivers and more bayous backed water into about 109,000 homes — 41,000 of them in East Baton Rouge Parish alone — and into 6,000 business establishments, according to Entergy’s filing with the Louisiana Public Service Commission. Damages are expected to exceed $15 billion when all is counted.
Entergy customers to see lower electricity bills now that 2005 hurricane debt paid off
The PSC issued three orders beginning Aug. 17, 2016, that forbade utility and water companies from disconnecting customers for nonpayment and from charging late fees on customers in parishes impacted by the emergency. The orders stayed in place until March 2017.
The 2017 order also allowed the companies to collect the revenues they lost during the time the orders were in effect and that’s what Entergy is asking permission to do.
Central Mayor Jr. Shelton said he understands but doesn’t appreciate the actions of Entergy and the other utility companies. His town was under waist-high water for about a week in 2016.
“There were a lot of things that we did, as businesses, as government, as civic groups that were done to help people in a time of need,” Shelton said Wednesday. “And don’t think a single one of them went and tried to recoup those losses.”
Entergy spokesman Michael Burns said Wednesday in an email: “The Louisiana Public Service Commission staff has supported our request in a manner similar to the requests made by other utilities in the region and according to the rules spelled out in the commission’s 2017 order.”
Burns added that the utility donated $500,000 for flood relief and more than 400 Entergy employees did volunteer work during the crisis.
The five elected members of the PSC already have agreed to let Baton Rouge Water Company collect its lost revenues.
Because utilities operate as a monopoly in their service territory, state law gives the PSC the ability to signoff on decisions made by these private companies that impact the rates charged. Generally, a utility company is paid for making and transmitting electricity plus a guaranteed profit. Customers also must pay the costs for restoring power after storms. This month a decade-old surcharge rolled off after the costs for restoring power after hurricanes Katrina and Rita were paid. Customers are still paying for getting the lights back on after hurricanes Gustav, Ike and Isaac.
The flood costs are similar.
PSC staff lawyers determined that Entergy lost revenues of about $5.1 million because the company couldn’t collect late fees and didn’t enforce timely payments by switching off the power to customers. Administrative expenses, such as mailings, added nearly $800,000 more for a total of $5.96 million.
Entergy proposes, and the PSC staff agrees, that customers pay the amount over the next 12 months. The five commissioners would have to agree too, and they don’t meet again until September.
If approved, a Baton Rouge or an Acadiana Entergy residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity would pay 17 cents more per month for a year. The bill for that customer was $87.90 in August.
A small business using up to 5,000 kWh would see the monthly bill increase by $1.10.
Other Entergy residential customers, mostly in the Florida parishes, would pay 18 cents more for the same amount of electricity. The August bill for those customers was $95.81.
A typical residential customer uses about 1,300 kilowatt-hours of electricity in a month.

An 18-year-old Siracusa woman was charged with aggravated battery after she threw knives at her brother during a fight, St. Mary Parish Sheriff Scott Anslum said in a news release. The suspect’s brother was treated for a minor injury.

—Janaya Wade, 18, of Ciro Street in Siracusa, was arrested at 10:25 p.m. Wednesday on a charge of aggravated battery.

Deputies patrolling Siracusa were dispatched to a home on Ciro Street in regard to a fight. Upon arrival, the deputies located Wade. Through the investigation, the deputies learned that she had been in a fight with her brother and had thrown knives at him, which resulted in a minor injury, Anslum said.

Wade’s brother was transported to a hospital for treatment. Wade was transported to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center for booking. No bail was set.

Anslum reported that deputies responded to 46 complaints in the parish and reported the following arrests relating to east St. Mary Parish:

—Leonardo Thibodeaux, 27, of Chaparell Lane in Frierson, was arrested at 7:17 a.m. Wednesday on a charge of driving under suspension.

A deputy patrolling Bayou Vista was dispatched to a location on U.S. 90 to assist with a traffic incident. Upon arrival at the location, the deputy made contact with Thibodeaux and learned that Thibodaux was driving under suspension. Thibodeaux was arrested and released on a summons to appear Nov. 13.

—Aaron Cage, 27, of Third Street in Berwick, was arrested at 3:37 p.m. Wednesday on a charge of second-degree aggravated battery.

A deputy at the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center was responding to a fight in one of the dorms. The deputy found evidence that Cage had hit another inmate with an object and knocked out a couple of his teeth, Anslum said. Cage was arrested and charged and remains incarcerated at parish jail.

—Kimber Thompson, 27, of Myrtle Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 4:55 p.m. Wednesday on a charge of remaining where forbidden.

A deputy patrolling Bayou Vista was dispatched to a business in response to a trespassing complaint. The deputy made contact with business personnel and learned that Thompson had come to the business where she was forbidden, Anslum said.

The deputy traveled to a home on Fourth Street in Berwick and located Thompson. Thompson was arrested and released on a summons to appear Nov. 13.

—Carl Naquin, 47, of Shrimpers Row in Houma, was arrested at 5:44 p.m. Wednesday on charges of speeding and driving under suspension.

A deputy patrolling the area of Patterson observed a pickup driving at a high rate of speed, swerving in and out of traffic. The deputy conducted a traffic stop and made contact with the driver, Naquin. During the stop, the deputy learned that Naquin was driving with a suspended license, Anslum said. Naquin was booked into jail and then released on $1,250 bail.

Morgan City Police Chief James Blair reported that officers responded to 49 calls and reported the following arrests:

—Brittney N. Crouch, 32, of Fifth Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 11:03 a.m. Wednesday on a warrant charging her with child desertion.

Crouch was located in the area of Florence Street and arrested on a warrant. The warrant stems from an incident on Aug. 3, which alleges that Crouch was in an intoxicated state and a 5-year-old child in her custody was able to leave the home and wander the neighborhood. Crouch was jailed.

—James J. Naverre, 63, of Apple Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 3:14 p.m. Wednesday on a charge of simple battery.

Naverre was arrested at city court. Naverre committed a battery on an individual in the lobby area of the courtroom, Blair said. Officers arrived and Naverre was jailed.

—Mykella L. Johnson, 31, of Joseph Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 4 p.m. Wednesday on a warrant charging her with failure to pay fines. Johnson was arrested at the police department for a city court warrant. Johnson was jailed.

—Jaelynn Guerrero, 33, of Front Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 4:56 p.m. Wednesday on a warrant charging her with contempt of court. Guerrero was arrested at the police department on a city court warrant. Guerrero was jailed.

—Bryant Francois, 36, of Federal Avenue in Morgan City, was arrested at 6 p.m. Wednesday on a warrant charging him with failure to pay fines. Francois was transported from the St. Mary Parish jail to the Morgan City Police Department on a Morgan City Court warrant. Francois was jailed.

—Cameron D. Aucoin, 19, of Elm Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 9:37 p.m. Wednesday on warrants for failure to pay fines and failure to pay probation fees. Aucoin was located on Hickory Street and arrested on city court warrants. Aucoin was jailed.

—Edward U. Giroir, 24, of Egle Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 7:43 p.m. Wednesday on a warrant charging him with probation violation. Giroir was placed under arrest at his home on a city court warrant. Giroir was jailed.

Berwick Police Chief James Richard reported no arrests.