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Larry Callais, president and CEO at M C Bank, has announced that veteran banker Frances Dupre has been promoted to assistant vice president.
Dupre has been affiliated with M C Bank for 45 years, beginning with a work-from-school program offered by her high school, Morgan City High School, from which she graduated. Through the years, she has held numerous job responsibilities within the bank, starting as a bookkeeper, and currently serves as manager of Human Resources. Upon her promotion, she will assume new duties including payroll processing.
She has also been active in the community outside of her duties at the bank.
Dupre has served as the local co-chairperson for the American Heart Association and has served as a volunteer for the American Cancer Society. She has worked in a number of capacities for the Chamber of Commerce.
“Frances has had a long and distinguished career with M C Bank,” Callais noted. “We are delighted to announce this promotion as acknowledgement of her significant contributions to M C Bank’s prosperity. The fact that we have exceptional professionals throughout our bank is due, in large part, to her excellence in Human Resources.”
Submitted Photo
Henri Ruiz of Berwick Elementary is the recipient of the Imagine Language & Literacy Outstanding Literacy Award. He was nominated by Stephanie Wiggins (EL teacher) for his consistent effort, hard work and love of reading. Henri and Wiggins are one of 15 winning teams across the nation.
The following are the radio dispatch logs from the Morgan City Police Department. To report unlawful or suspicious activity, call the police department at 985-380-4605.
Friday, June 22
6:03 a.m. 7000 block of La. 182; Alarm.
6:18 a.m. 700 block of Myrtle Street; Arrest.
7:08 a.m. 7000 block of La. 182; Alarm.
7:15 a.m. General Patton and Fourth streets; Warrant.
7:35 a.m. 400 block of Federal Avenue; Warrant.
7:57 a.m. 900 block of First Street; Warrant.
9:06 a.m. 1100 block of Marguerite Street; Traffic complaint.
10:07 a.m. 7200 block of La. 182; Warrant.
10:13 a.m. 7200 block of La. 182; Welfare concern.
10:35 a.m. 600 block of General MacArthur Street; Warrant.
10:57 a.m. Federal Avenue and Orange Street; Warrant arrest.
11:26 a.m. 700 block of Cottonwood street; Theft.
11:29 a.m. 900 block of Marguerite Street ; Alarm.
11:36 a.m. 1100 block of Marguerite Street; Hang up call.
11:42 a.m. 700 block of Myrtle Street; Theft.
12:02 p.m. 800 block of Ditch Avenue; Complaint.
1:03 p.m. 700 block of Myrtle Street; Theft.
1:23 p.m. Leona Street; Warrant.
1:48 p.m. North Bayou Black Drive; Assistance.
2:18 p.m. 700 block of Myrtle Street; Arrest.
2:28 p.m. Onstead and Maple streets; Traffic complaint.
3:01 p.m. Cypress Street; Civil matter.
3:10 p.m. 1100 block of North Victor II Boulevard; Complaint.
3:49 p.m. Sixth Street and Levee Road; Crash.
4:45 p.m. Chennault Street; Civil matter.
5:33 p.m. 7200 block of La. 182; Crash.
6:33 p.m. 2300 block of La. 70; Juvenile problem.
6:36 p.m. 1400 block of Chatsworth Drive; Alarm.
6:55 p.m. 300 block of Patton Street; Theft.
7:06 p.m. Maple and Poplar streets; Juvenile problem.
7:50 p.m. 3000 block of Keith Street; Vehicle theft.
8:14 p.m. 2300 block of La. 70; Crash.
8:55 p.m. 800 block of Florida Street; Complaint.
9:14 p.m. Brashear Avenue and Sixth Street; Arrest.
10:08 p.m. 900 block of Spruce Street; Utility.
10:25 p.m. 600 block of Egle Street; Removal of subject.
11:54 p.m. 7400 block of La. 182; Complaint.
Saturday, June 23
12:28 a.m. 1600 block of Front Street; Disturbance.
12:44 a.m. 300 block of Second Street; Disturbance.
1:07 a.m. 1000 block of Brashear Avenue; Juvenile problem.
1:33 a.m. 1000 block of Brashear Avenue; Removal of subject.
1:45 a.m. 500 block of Fifth Street; Medical.
6:03 a.m. 3000 block of Keith Street; Burglary.
11:23 a.m. 300 block of Patton Street; Welfare concern.
12:36 p.m. 900 block of Seventh Street; Animal complaint.
1:06 p.m. 1100 block of Ninth Street; Alarm.
1:17 p.m. 1000 block of Birch Street; Alarm.
1:43 p.m. 700 block of Myrtle Street; Battery.
2:28 p.m. Stephensville; Assistance.
5:39 p.m. 200 block of Patton Street; Disturbance.
5:46 p.m. 1400 block of Sandra Street; Alarm.
6:40 p.m. 300 block of Third Street; Animal.
7:12 p.m. 300 block of Wren Street; Disturbance.
7:23 p.m. 3000 block of Allison Street; Disturbance.
7:47 p.m. 7200 block of La. 182; Disturbance.
8:21 p.m. 7400 block of La. 182; Disturbance.
8:42 p.m. 2300 block of Clements Street; Welfare check.
9:03 p.m. 1200 block of Victor II Boulevard; Frequent patrols.
11:10 p.m. 700 block of Myrtle Street; Disturbance.
11:56 p.m. 1100 block of Federal Avenue; Fire.
Sunday, June 24
12:22 a.m. 700 block of Myrtle Street; Disturbance.
1:03 a.m. 7400 block of La. 182; Disturbance.
2:19 a.m. 400 block of Levee Road; Suspicious person.
2:57 a.m. 1000 block of Ninth Street; 911 hang up.
3:52 a.m. Orange Street and Federal Avenue; Disturbance.
6:42 a.m. 500 block of Barrow Street; Animal complaint.
6:46 a.m. Wren Street; Assistance.
8:22 a.m. Berwick; Be on the lookout.
8:54 a.m. 100 block of Headland Street; Animal complaint.
2:07 p.m. 3000 block of Keith Street; Complaint.
4:25 p.m. 1000 block of Brashear Avenue; Disturbance.
4:51 p.m. 500 block of Egle Street; Disturbance.
5:24 p.m. 200 block of Patton Street; Disturbance.
5:46 p.m. 100 block of Mallard Street; Telephone harassment.
6:45 p.m. 1000 block of Brashear Avenue; Medical.
7:47 p.m. 900 block of Poplar Street; Theft.
8:01 p.m. 2400 block of Cypress Street; Telephone harassment.
8:09 p.m. 3100 block of Diane Drive; Medical.
9:21 p.m. Railroad Avenue; Complaint.
9:28 p.m. Railroad Avenue; Reckless driver.
Monday, June 25
12:41 a.m. 200 block of Glenwood Street ; Suspicious subject.
2:29 a.m. 2000 block of Allison Street; Arrest.
No injuries were reported, and no suspects have been identified following a Friday shooting in Siracusaville after shots were allegedly fired from one vehicle to another vehicle.
The shooting occurred at about 1:30 p.m. Friday in the area of Grace and James streets in Siracusaville, said Detective Whytley Jones, St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman.
Anyone with any information on the incident should call the sheriff’s office at 985-384-1622.
The Tri-City area will host the Cal Ripken State Baseball Tournament for ages 6U-8U this weekend along with two district tournaments.
At Kemper Williams Park, the Cal Ripken State Tournaments for ages 6U, 7U and 8U will begin Friday and conclude Sunday.
Patterson will compete in 6U and 8U action.
In 6U, the local squad will meet Madisonville White Friday at 6 p.m., with the winner facing Madisonville Red at 8 p.m. Friday.
The loser will face the loser of the Madisonville Blue/Pierre Part-Kentwood contest Saturday at noon.
Other teams in the 6U bracket are Pierre Part, Kentwood and Madisonville Blue.
In 8U action, the bracket is split between American and National divisions. Patterson will compete in the National Division where it will meet St. Charles Friday at 8 p.m. The loser of the Patterson-St. Charles game will meet the loser of the Kentwood-West Feliciana first-round contest, while the winner of the St. Charles-Patterson game will meet the Kentwood-West Feliciana winner Saturday at 11:30 a.m.
Other teams in the 8U National Division are Pierre Part, Madisonville Red and St. James.
Also in Patterson, the Cal Ripken 13U and 15U district tournaments, which were rained out in Madisonville last weekend, will be held this weekend at Kemper Williams Park. Patterson had a 15U team.
Meanwhile at the Bayou Vista Community Center, St. Mary Central will host the Dixie Youth District 3-AA Tournament, beginning Friday and continuing through Sunday.
Morgan City, St. Mary Central, Franklin and Thibodaux will compete.
Action will begin Friday when St. Mary Central meets Thibodaux at 5:30 p.m., following by Franklin meeting Morgan City at 7 p.m.
Saturday’s local game will feature a 4:30 p.m. contest between St. Mary Central and Morgan City.
Sunday, Franklin will meet St. Mary Central at 2 p.m., while Thibodaux and Morgan City square off at 3:30 p.m.
The Morgan City U.S. Bowling Congress Bowling Association held its annual meeting and awards banquet May 12
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!
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Biologist Samantha Collins, for several seconds, intently studied the weight on her Pesola spring scale. Hanging from the instrument, nestled in a soft mesh cotton sack, was a reddish egret chick just weeks old. When the scale settled on 590 grams, Collins smiled and gently spoke to the bird that resembled something right out of a Jurassic Park movie, saying, “You’re a real fatty, aren’t you!”
Getting the chick’s weight was just one of several measurements the biologist meticulously obtains while gathering data on this particular species. Other measurements include the culmen (upper beak or bill), tarsus (leg bone) and wing length, all of which are critical in understanding the health and growth of reddish egret young.
A member of the ardeidae family of birds that include bitterns, egrets and herons, the reddish egret is listed as a Species of Greatest Conservation Need in the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries’ Wildlife Action Plan. In fact, the species is ranked as an S1. In the plan’s explanation of rankings, S1 is defined as, “Critically imperiled in Louisiana because of extreme rarity (5 or fewer known extant populations) or because of some factor(s) making it especially vulnerable to extirpation.”
Collins, who works for the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries out of the Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge office in Grand Chenier, since 2015, has led the department’s efforts to learn more about this rarest of heron species.
Collins said, “From some of the surveys we’ve done, it appears that reddish egrets are in very low numbers throughout the state. And, we really don’t know much about them. We don’t know where they’re selecting nesting habitat or on what islands.
“One big question we have is what foraging habitat do they use? So, we did a little bit of a pilot study in 2015,” Collins added. “We had Dr. Clay Green, a professor at Texas State University, come out here to southwest Louisiana to talk to us about what they’ve been doing in Texas. We had him show us some trapping techniques, show us how to bleed birds for genetic analysis and learn how to attach transmitters to them.”
Collins’s team utilizes 17g Solar Argos/GPS PTT Transmitters. Weighing just 17 grams, the solar-powered platform transmitter terminals have been invaluable in collecting important data that researchers need to better understand reddish egrets. Further, by altering a self-tripping trap design of University of Florida Re-search Professor Peter C Frederick that he used to capture colonial nesting birds, Collins has been able to successfully place transmitters on the adult birds she is studying.
As a rule, only healthy birds receive transmitters and only when the transmitter is less than 3 percent of its bodyweight.
Geographically, Collins uses Point Au Fer Island to basically divide the state into two study regions. Currently, she has 11 transmitters deployed in the southeast on adult reddish egrets and 12 transmitters in the southwestern part.
Population size and survival rates are extremely important to biologists. Therefore, learning what a certain species’ limiting factors are is crucial.
Now in her third year studying reddish egrets, Collins says the department’s efforts have garnered important data that has helped to answer some questions but also raised others.
Most of the data Collins has collected has been obtained by studying reddish egrets on Rabbit Island, located in the southwest corner of Lake Calcasieu. One of the things the department has learned about reddish egrets nesting on this island is they don’t have to go very far to forage compared to birds nesting on the eastern side of the state.
“Reddish egrets are looking for something in particular,” Collins said. “It’s one of the things we’re starting to see on Rabbit Island. What we’ve learned from the data so far is all of the birds that have transmitters don’t go very far to forage. The majority of birds on the west side of the state are sticking around. There’s a lot of good foraging habitat around Sabine National Wildlife Refuge and Apache Louisiana Minerals land, and these areas have nice clear shallow water.”
Though two of the Rabbit Island birds Collins placed transmitters on made trans-global migrations, going as far as Guatemala and Nicaragua, reddish egrets are considered semi-migratory, the biologist said. She pointed out, it’s not uncommon for them to make movements down the coast to Mexico.
By contrast, the eastern birds Collins has trapped and placed transmitters on, on Raccoon, Brandy and Queen Bess islands make very large movements between nesting and foraging areas.
Collins, who is heavily involved in the REEG Working Group that established the Conservation Action Plan for the species and is currently the leader for the research and monitoring committee, said, “They have certain areas they are looking for, especially where foraging is concerned. Over by Grand Isle, nesting islands are located within a bigger bay system not ideal for foraging, which could be one of their limiting factors there.”
During the time I accompanied Collins, one thing she did, without hesitation, was collect the vomit from the chicks she handled during banding. The regurgitation is somewhat common place during the handling process, according to the biologist, and essentially is significant additional data.
“While we were banding the chicks, we saw a lot of them regurgitating, so we said, ‘let’s collect that regurgitation and compare what they’re actually eating to what we collect from the foraging habitat sampling points.’ Once we started analyzing samples, we noticed a good number of the samples had these little worms in them,” Collins said.
The worms turned out to be parasites using the fish as secondary hosts. When the birds consumed the fish provided by their parents, they became the primary host.
Taking measurements and recording what the chicks eat and notating the condition of their health could provide answers to yet another potential limiting factor.
Collins says she gets her greatest satisfaction from the amount of information she’s been able to collect so far from the important study. Considering the department didn’t know much about reddish egrets in the state of Louisiana, it’s significant. But, there’s still much more to learn.
EDITOR’S NOTE: John K. Flores is The Daily Review’s Outdoor Writer.
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