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SCHOOL SUPPLIES
A Youth Explosion and School Supplies event hosted by Morning Glory Ministries at Siracusa Community Center at 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 4. Youth talents and gifts displayed. Youth Speaker: Ach’sch James of Children of God Church. For info call 985-253-0921.

CONCERT
First Baptist Church, 1621 Main St., Patterson, hosting The Southern Plainsmen concert at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 5. Food and fellowship follow service. Public invited.

RE-ENTRY
Information conference from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 8, at West St. Mary Civic Center, 1472 La. 318, Jeanerette. Cost $20. Information on Louisiana Criminal Justice System, how to have safer neighborhoods and better citizens. For info call Program Director Wilfred Johnson, 337-256-6856; Sherman Ledet, 985-518-4625 or Ann Pool, 985-255-1364. Conference is for the Southwest Region that includes St. Mary.

AARP DANCE
St. Mary AARP Saturday Night Dance from 7-11 p.m. Aug. 11 at St. Mary Senior Citizens Center, 4014 Chennault St., Morgan City. Music by Tet Dur. Tickets $8. For info call 985-384-2277.

Residents of Lower St. Martin Parish welcomed Interim St. Martin Parish President Chester Cedars at a meet-and- greet Tuesday. The meeting was held in the Belle River Community Center on La. 70 in Belle River.

In addition to Cedars, present were members of his staff and several St. Martin Parish Council members, Byron Fuselier and Chris Tauzin. Rep. Sam Jones spoke briefly of his confidence in Cedars as parish president.

A meal of jambalaya was provided for guests who came to meet Cedars, the interim president of the parish until a November election. Cedars replaces long-time parish president Guy Cormier who resigned in March, 2018 to become President of the Louisiana State Police Jury Association.

Cedars has been the district attorney for the 16th Judicial District and attorney for the St. Martin Parish government. He graduated from LSU in 1976.

Cedars spoke to the guests of his determination to make the parish stronger and to be more attentive to all parts of the parish. He said the parish council meetings would be held in various locations, Belle River being one of them. He vowed to post more on the parish website .

In response to several questions from guests about the lack of Council on Aging services for Lower St. Martin, Cedars said he was in favor of some type of intergovernmental arrangement with a near-y parish to provide services for this area. Members of Lower St. Martin Parish have been trying in vain for y ears to get COA services for Belle River, Stephensville and Four-mile Bayou.

“I’m a no-nonsense kind of guy,” said Cedars. “I will listen to all of your issues. This is a very challenging job with a lot of decisions to be made. I intend to do the best job I can.”

As attorney for the St. Martin Parish government, Cedars acknowledged that he has been well aware of the problems which have plagued the Lower St. Martin area and it is hoped, now, as president, he will be able to solve some of those problems.

Chitimacha Police Chief Hal Hutchinson reported the following arrests:
Shannon Cook, 29, of Choctaw Street, Charenton, was arrested Monday on a Franklin City Court bench warrant for failure to appear for arraignment for the charge of theft by shoplifting.
Cook was turned over to the Franklin Marshall’s Office without incident.
Christopher Richie, 42, of A Titan Drive, Lafayette, was arrested Monday on charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a firearm in the presence of a control dangerous substance and driving under suspension.
He was transported to the parish jail. Officers responded to a tribal business in reference to a suspicious person. During the investigation, it was learned that narcotics were possibly involved. The Chitimacha K-9 Narcotics Unit was deployed, which resulted in Richie’s arrest.
St. Mary Parish Sheriff Scott Anslum reported the following arrests:
Nicole Watson, 48, of 216 Jupiter St., Bayou Vista, was arrested Tuesday at 4:02 p.m. on charges of possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
A deputy patrolling Bayou Vista responded to a local business for an unrelated theft complaint. Through the investigation, the deputy made contact with Watson in a vehicle that matched the description of the suspect vehicle. While speaking with Watson, the deputy could smell a strong odor of marijuana emitting from the vehicle. The deputy received consent to search the vehicle and located marijuana and a grinder. Watson was released on a summons.
Javier Castro, 29, of 3091 La. 70, Morgan City, was arrested Tuesday at 4:52 p.m. on a warrant for failure to appear on charges of speeding and operating a vehicle with a suspended license.
Castro was transported from the West Baton Rouge Parish Jail and transported to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center for booking. Castro was released on a $2,000 bond.
Kenneth Phillips, 49, of 128 Miggy Lane, Baldwin, was arrested Tuesday at 4:52 p.m. on a warrant for failure to appear on the charge of operating a vehicle without insurance.
Phillips was transported from the Vermillion Parish Jail to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center for booking. No bail is set.
Wendall Hines, 25, of 1270 Big Four Corners Road, Four Corners, was arrested Tuesday at 4:56 p.m. on charges of possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of Schedule II liquid codeine with intent to distribute, possession of Schedule II cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of Schedule II crack cocaine with intent to distribute, violation of uniformed controlled dangerous substance law church, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm in the presence of a controlled dangerous substance and possession of a controlled dangerous substance in the presence of a minor.
Detectives with the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Section and Morgan City Police Department Narcotics Division executed a no-knock search warrant at 1270 Big Four Corners Road, the residence of Hines. The search warrant stemmed from an investigation where detectives found evidence that Hines sold illegal narcotics from his residence. During the search, detectives located a pistol, illegal narcotics, and items of drug paraphernalia in Hines’ bedroom. Detectives located a minor child in the residence during the search, and also found that Hines’ residence was located within a couple of hundred feet of a church. Hines was transported to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center for booking. Hines was released on a $50,500 bond.
Clarence Williams III, 26, of 603 Robert St., Franklin, was arrested Wednesday at 11:41 p.m. on charges of reckless operation and no driver’s license.
A deputy patrolling St. Joseph responded to a suspicious vehicle in the area of the 4300 block of Irish Bend Road. An officer with the Franklin Police Department conducted a traffic stop with said vehicle. The deputy arrived and made contact with the driver, Williams. The deputy found evidence that Williams was operating the vehicle without a driver’s license and traveling at a dangerously high rate of speed on Easy Street. Williams was released on a summons.
Brittany Declouet, 34, of 109 Jolivette St., Baldwin, was arrested Thursday at 12:07 a.m. on charges of driving while intoxicated and parking, stopping and/or standing violation.
A deputy patrolling St. Joseph conducted a traffic stop with a vehicle parked in the roadway on Irish Bend Road. The deputy made contact with Declouet and smelled a strong odor of alcohol emitting from her person. The deputy conducted standardized field sobriety and Declouet performed poorly. Declouet was transported to the Franklin Police Department for chemical testing on the Intoxilyzer 9000. Declouet’s blood alcohol content was 0.193g%. Declouet was transported to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center for booking. No bail is set.
Charles Preece, 29, of 1927 River Road, Berwick, was arrested Thursday at 1:17 a.m. on a warrant for failure to appear on charges of possession of marijuana and operating a vehicle without insurance.
A deputy patrolling in the area of Berwick made contact with Preece outside of a closed business. The deputy learned of an active warrant for Preece’s arrest. Preece was transported to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center for booking. No bail is set.
Michael Morris Jr. 19, of 308 Talbot St., Franklin, was arrested Wednesday at 11:16 a.m. on charges of aggravated battery and battery on a correctional officer.
St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center Corrections Section deputies responded to a disturbance in a dorm during feeding. During the course of the disturbance, Morris struck a deputy and also threw an item at the deputy. Morris was booked on additional charges. Morris remains incarcerated at the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center.
Chace Buckner, 25, of 97 Oak St., Franklin, was arrested Wednesday at 5:45 p.m. on a warrant for charges of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, violation of the controlled dangerous substance law drug-free zone and possession of drug paraphernalia and a warrant for charges of possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and violation of the controlled dangerous substance law drug-free zone.
The warrants stem from investigations initiated on April 2 and May 2, in which detectives found evidence that Buckner was in possession of marijuana and items of drug paraphernalia. Detectives made contact with Buckner at his residence. Buckner was transported to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center for booking. No bail is set.
Franklin Police Chief Tina Thibodeaux reported the following arrests:
Ben Louviere, 39, of Pine Street, Franklin, was arrested Tuesday at 10:50 a.m. on a warrant for 16th Judicial District Court for failure to appear on charges of possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Louviere was booked, processed, and held with no bond set at the time of press release.
Brenden Jenkins, 26, of Iberia Street, Franklin, was arrested Tuesday at 2:17 p.m. on a warrant for Scott Police Department for charges of monetary instrument abuse and theft.
Jenkins was booked, processed, and held with no bond set at the time of press release.
David Howard, 47, of Iberia Street, Franklin, was arrested Tuesday at 2:25 p.m. on charges of possession of Schedule I narcotics and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Howard was booked, processed, and held on a $3,500 bond.
Kerdern Martin, 31, of Hamilton Street, Franklin, was arrested Tuesday at 5:05 p.m. on charges of possession of Schedule I narcotics—second offense and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Martin was booked, processed, and held with no bond set at the time of press release.
Joshua Daniels, 33, of Dubois Rd., New Iberia, was arrested Wednesday at 2:51 a.m. on charges of simple burglary—two counts, criminal trespassing—two counts, illegal carrying of weapons—two counts and criminal damage to property—two counts.
Daniels was booked, processed, and held with no bond set at the time of press release.
Lonnie Baker Jr., 26, of Sucre Circle Drive, Abbeville, was arrested Wednesday at 2:51 a.m. on charges of simple burglary—two counts, criminal trespassing—two counts, illegal carrying of weapons—two counts and criminal damage to property—two counts.
Baker was booked, processed, and held with no bond set at the time of press release.
On July 24, the Franklin Police Department received a complaint of a burglary of a building. Upon arrival, officers observed damage inside of the building and located evidence of the burglary. Through investigation and surveillance, officers were able to apprehend Daniels and Baker at that location.
Tyjon Alexander, 17, of Baker Road, Franklin, was arrested Wednesday at 11:36 a.m. on a warrant for Third Ward City Court for failure to appear on the charge of possession of marijuana.
Alexander was booked, processed, and held with no bond set at the time of press release.
Javise Jack, 20, of La. 83, Franklin, was arrested Thursday at 12:17 a.m. on charges of possession of Schedule I narcotics, possession of a controlled dangerous substance in the presence of a firearm and illegal possession of stolen things.
Jack was booked, processed, and held with no bond set at the time of press release.