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A 75-year-old Morgan City man, who was intoxicated, fired three shots allegedly to scare off a theft suspect in his yard. But Morgan City police found no evidence of an intruder on video surveillance, Police Chief James Blair said in a news release.

No one was hit by the gunfire, police said.

—Vernon Robin Sr., 75, of First Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 9:41 p.m. Wednesday on charges of illegal discharge of a firearm and disturbing the peace intoxicated.

Patrol officers responded to the area of First Street in regard to shots being fired in the area. Officers arrived when Robin was identified.

Robin told police he had seen someone on his video surveillance committing a theft in his yard, Blair said. Robin then allegedly went outside his home and discharged a firearm three times to scare off the villains, Blair said.

Robin was in an intoxicated state, Blair said. Police reviewed video surveillance and determined that no one was in Robin’s yard when he discharged the firearm, Blair said. Robin was jailed.

Blair reported that officers responded to 38 calls and reported the following arrests:

—Larry G. Barnett, 38, of Sixth Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 3:53 p.m. Wednesday on a warrant charging him with aggravated second-degree battery.

Barnett was located and arrested in the area of Sixth Street on a warrant. The warrant stems from an April 24 investigation when police responded to the area of Sixth Street in regard to a disturbance.

Officers arrived and learned that Barnett had allegedly struck the victim with a beer bottle in the facial area causing injury during an altercation, Blair said. Barnett was not located during the complaint. The investigation continued, and a warrant was prepared for Barnett’s arrest. Barnett was jailed.

—Barlow Toups, 42, of Grace Street in Siracusaville, was arrested at 10:27 a.m. Wednesday on a warrant for failure to appear to pay fine. Toups was located and arrested at the police department on a city court warrant. Toups was jailed.

—Brittany Jones, 24, of Lloyd Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 9:53 p.m. Wednesday on warrants charging her with possession of marijuana, violation of uniform controlled dangerous substance law-drug-free zone, illegal use of a controlled dangerous in the presence of juveniles, resisting an officer by giving false information, driving under suspension, registration required and no insurance.

Jones was located and arrested in the area of La. 182 on warrants. The warrants stem from two separate March 7 investigations. Officers responded to the area of Roderick Street in regard to report of a child being left unattended in a vehicle.

The vehicle left the scene prior to officers’ arrival and was located in the area Grizzaffi Street. A stop was initiated when Jones provided officers with a false name, Blair said.

The officer issued Jones a citation under that false identity, and she was released after the complaint on multiple traffic violations, Blair said. Later that evening, patrol officers responded to the area of Robin Street in regard to a theft.

Officers arrived and detected a strong odor of marijuana emitting from the home. Jones was identified and in possession of suspected marijuana, Blair said. The home was also occupied by a small child and the area where the incident had taken place was in a drug-free zone.

The officer that had handled the complaint earlier in the area of Roderick Street arrived at the home and observed the female he had stopped earlier on that complaint. He had learned that Jones had provided him with a false name during their original investigation, Blair said.

The investigation continued on both incidents and warrants were prepared for Jones’ arrest. Jones was jailed.

St. Mary Parish Sheriff Scott Anslum reported that deputies responded to 33 complaints and reported the following arrests:

—Nicholas Jefferson, 28, of Rosemont Street in New Orleans, was arrested at 2:11 p.m. Wednesday on a charge of operating a vehicle with a suspended driver’s license.

A deputy conducted an investigation into a suspicious vehicle in the Bayou Vista area. The deputy identified the driver as Jefferson. While speaking to him, the deputy found that he was a door-to-door salesman and that he did have the proper permit to be in the area, Anslum said.

The deputy also found that Jefferson was operating the van with a suspended license, the sheriff said. Following the investigation, Jefferson was released on a summons to appear in court July 11.

—Jonathan Evans Jr., 24, of Tiffany Street in Patterson, was arrested at 4:24 p.m. Wednesday on charges of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, transactions involving proceeds from drug offenses, violation of a controlled dangerous substance law-drug-free zone, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a controlled dangerous substance in the presence of a minor.

Narcotics section detectives conducted a search warrant at Evans’ home and located marijuana, a digital scale, $199 in cash money, plastic bags and a grinder, Anslum said. The home is located within 2,000 feet of a church.

During the investigation, detectives collected additional evidence that Evans was selling marijuana, Anslum said. A child was also in the home at the time of the investigation. Evans was jailed with no bail set.

—Robert Burke, 55, of Church Street in Patterson, was arrested on 7:04 p.m. Wednesday on charges of possession of drug paraphernalia, obstruction of justice and resisting an officer by force.

—Chantal Burke, 24, of Church Street in Patterson, was arrested at 7:04 p.m. Wednesday on a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia.

—Zachary Mahfouz, 24, of Second Street in Berwick, was arrested at 7:04 p.m. Wednesday on a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia.

Narcotics section detectives conducted a search warrant at Robert Burke’s and Chantal Burke’s home. Detectives located a digital scale and a container filled with needles. As detectives spoke with Robert Burke he attempted to discard a methamphetamine pipe on the ground.

Robert Burke then attempted to push away from detectives as they worked to detain him. During the investigation, detectives collected evidence that Robert Burke, Chantal Burke and Mahfouz used the needles to inject methamphetamine, Anslum said.

Robert Burke was jailed with no bail set. Chris Burke and Mahfouz were released on summonses to appear in court July 11.

—Ernest N. Mingo, 34, of Federal Avenue in Morgan City, was arrested at 3:13 a.m. Wednesday on a charge of disturbing the peace intoxicated and a warrant charging him with failure to appear for arraignment.

Patrol officers encountered Mingo walking in the area of Everett Street. Mingo was in an intoxicated state, Blair said. Mingo had an arrest warrant through city court. Mingo was jailed.

Patterson Police Chief Janis Merritt reported no arrests.

Berwick Police Chief James Richard reported no arrests.

At about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, a car crashed into a pole on La. 182 East near Lipari Street in Patterson. The driver was transported to a hospital and was in critical condition as of Thursday morning, according to Patterson police. No other vehicles were involved in the crash, and the driver was the only occupant in the car. (Submitted)

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — State and local governments in Louisiana have offered an estimated $1.5 billion in incentives to persuade a Taiwanese company to locate a $9.4 billion plastics complex along the Mississippi River upstream from New Orleans, Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Don Pierson said.
The package includes about $1.4 billion in local property tax exemptions for the Formosa Petrochemicals Corp. subsidiary that would build and run the plant, Pierson said in a statement emailed Monday night.
Louisiana’s Board of Commerce and Industry and Gov. John Bel Edwards must sign off on the tax breaks, which would fully exempt the plastics complex from local property taxes for a decade. Such long-term exemptions are now against the rules, but this one could be grandfathered-in because it was initially offered when the Formosa subsidiary first proposed the plant in 2015.
Bel Edwards changed the property tax program’s rules in mid-2016 to allow five years of full exemptions and three of 80 percent exemptions, saying he wanted limited tax dollars to be spent wisely. He earlier required tax breaks to be tied to job creation and retention and required local governments to be consulted. Some groups wanted more changes to reduce tax breaks.
An analysis made for Formosa subsidiary FG LA LLC by economist James Richardson estimates that the project will generate $675 million in new state and local taxes through 2035. His report estimated that, including ripple effect jobs, the plant will also bring $4.7 billion in new personal earnings and $18.5 billion in business spending statewide during the same period.
The complex’s payroll is expected to reach $121 million by 2030, he wrote.
Aside from the industrial tax exemption program, other estimated incentives add up to about $146 million: $125 million over 10 years in rebates for well-paid jobs; $12 million in a performance-based grant and $9 million for a state job training and recruitment program.
The Louisiana Environmental Action Network has criticized the project, saying it and other plants will increase air pollution in St. James Parish.