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Mamie Byers Griffin, 60, a native of Berwick, La. and a resident of Morgan City, La., passed away on Wednesday, April 4, 2018 at 10:05 a.m.
All viewing and visitations will be observed on Friday April 13, 2018 at Jones Funeral Home Chapel 715 Sixth Street Morgan City, La. from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m. Memorial Services will be held on Saturday April 14, 2018 at the Miracle Revival Church in (Morgan City) Bayou Vista, La. at 1 p.m., with Ministers Lee Stewart and Ron Bias, Officiating. Burial will take place in the Berwick Cemetery in Berwick, La.
Memories of Mamie will forever remain in the hearts of her son, Charles Ray Griffin, Jr. of New Iberia, La.; three daughters, Regine Griffin of Berwick, La., Mrs. James (Tiffany) Noel of Lafayette, La., Letitia Grogan of Houston, TX; two brothers, Andrew Byers of Franklin and Jessie Engleton, Jr. of Morgan City, La.; three sisters, Bobby Jean Conway of Bakersville, CA, Margaret Powell of Patterson, La., and Patricia Byers of Houston, TX; twenty-four grandchildren and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Mamie was preceded in death by her parents, one brother, and two sisters.
Jones Funeral Home of Morgan City-Franklin-Houma-Jeanerette in charge of arrangements.
Visit www.jones-funeral-home.com to send condolences to family.
The Morgan City Tigers picked up their biggest win of the season Tuesday as they upset District 7-4A foe and Class 4A’s top-ranked squad, South Lafourche, 9-7.
With the game tied at 7 entering the bottom of the sixth, Morgan City pushed across two runs on Ross Albritton’s two-run double in the bottom of the sixth for a 9-7 lead.
In the top of the seventh, Morgan City escaped a South Lafourche threat with runners on first and second and two outs when Logan Tingle recorded his eight strikeout of the night for the game’s final out.
Tingle pitched a complete game and surrendered seven runs (two earned) on six hits with six walks and one hit batter.
Early on, South Lafourche took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second, while Morgan City countered with two runs in the bottom of the third for a 2-1 advantage.
While South Lafourche retook the lead at 3-2 in the top of the fourth, Morgan City again snatched away the lead in the bottom of the frame with five runs for a 7-3 lead.
South Lafourche tied the score at 7 in the top of the sixth.
Morgan City overcame five errors for the win, while South Lafourche committed a single miscue.
Offensively, Morrquise Charles and Tingle led Morgan City. Charles was 1-for-3 with a home run, two RBIs and two runs, while Tingle was 1-for-2 with a triple and three RBIs. Other top Morgan City offensive contributors were Albritton, 1-for-2 with a double, two RBIs and a run; and Kade Dupre, 1-for-2, two RBIs and two runs.
Morgan City (11-14 overall, 3-2 in district) will return to action Thursday when it travels to face South Lafourche at 6 p.m.
CCHS defeats
Highland Baptist
Two pitchers combined for a no-hitter, and Central Catholic’s offense scored 11 runs as the Eagles run-ruled Highland Baptist, 11-0, in District 7-1A action in New Iberia Tuesday.
Central Catholic pitchers Bryce Grizzaffi and Grant Stansbury combined to hold the Bears hitless in the five-inning run-rule victory.
Grizzaffi, who earned the win, pitched the first four innings and surrendered three walks, hit one batter and fanned six. Stansbury pitched an inning and fanned two.
The game was scoreless until the fourth inning when the Eagles put five runs on the board. Central Catholic added six more runs in the top of the fifth.
Stansbury led the Eagles’ offense with a 3-for-3 performance with a triple, two RBIs, a stolen base and two runs. Other top Central Catholic offensive contributors were Bryce Grizzaffi, 2-for-3 with a triple and two RBIs; Luke Barbier, 2-for-3, a double, three RBIs and two runs; and Tyler Longman, 2-for-3, a double and two RBIs.
Central Catholic (13-8, 3-0) will return to action when it faces Archbishop Shaw Thursday in a nondistrict contest at Nicholls. First pitch is set for 5:30 p.m.
Berwick tops Kaplan
The Berwick Panthers defeated Kaplan, 7-1, in District 8-3A action at Kaplan Tuesday.
While Berwick trailed 1-0 after Kaplan scored a run in the bottom of the third, the Panthers responded with a combined seven unanswered runs in the next four innings for the win. Berwick scored a run each in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings before plating four runs in the top of the seventh.
Patrick Robertson and Zeph Hoffpauir combined to toss a two-hitter, with Robertson earning the win. In six innings, Robertson surrendered one unearned run on two hits with one walk and fanned eight. Hoffpauir pitched an inning and fanned one.
Offensively, Kyle Pitre and Hoffpauir led the offense. Pitre finished 3-for-4 with two doubles and two runs, while Hoffpauir was 2-for-4 with a home run, two RBIs and a run. Other top Berwick offensive contributors were: Brett Williams, 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI; Robertson, 1-for-3, two RBIs; Lucas Hatch, 1-for-4, an RBI; and Kyle Boudreaux, an RBI.
Berwick (15-7, 5-0) will return to action Thursday when it hosts Kaplan.
Patterson falls
to Erath
The Patterson Lumberjacks fell to Erath, 17-10, in District 8-3A action in Erath Tuesday.
While Patterson led 2-0 in the top of the first inning, Erath scored six in the bottom of the frame, two more in the second, three in the third and two more in the fourth for a 13-2 advantage after four innings.
Patterson responded with four runs in the top of the fifth to cut its deficit to 13-6 before Erath countered with two runs in the bottom of the frame to push its lead to 15-6.
The Lumberjacks scored four runs in the top of the sixth, and the Bobcats responded with two runs in the bottom of the sixth for the final margin.
Reid Perkins suffered the loss. In 1.1 innings, he surrendered eight runs (eight earned) on five hits with three walks, one hit batter and one strikeout.
Randy Paul led Patterson’s offense with a 3-for-4 performance with two doubles, five RBIs and two runs. Other top Patterson offensive contributors were: Reid Perkins, 3-for-4 with a double, an RBI, a stolen base and three runs; Hayden Pinho, 1-for-3, a double, two RBIs and a run; and Joseph Larson, 1-for-2, two RBIs.
Patterson (9-12, 3-4) will return to action Thursday when it hosts Erath in a 5 p.m. contest.
Final registration for the Bayou Beaux Art and Dance Summer Arts Program will be held Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the City Council Room at City Hall.
“This is the final opportunity for those who want to participate, to register and get into the classes they would like,” said Mayor Raymond Harris.
“Also, the community development director needs to know how many students are participating, so supplies can be ordered.”
Students must be at least 5 years old by June 1 to participate in the dance portion of the program, and at least 13 years old by June 1 to be a part of the art portion of the program.
Fees for the dance program are $20 per student, and the art program fees are $20 per course. Fees are not refundable.
Payment can be made with cash, money order or cashier’s check only. Money orders and cashier’s checks should be made payable to the City of Franklin. Registration forms will not be accepted without full payment.
For more information about registration or the course schedule, contact the Community Development Department at ashields@franklin-la.com or 337-828-6345.
The Bayou Beaux Arts and Dance Program is supported by a grant from the Louisiana Division of the Arts, Office of Cultural Development, Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism in cooperation with the Louisiana State Arts Council as administered by the Acadiana Center for the Arts and by a Community Partnership Grant from the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and Foundation.
West End Branch Library in Baldwin has invited a local group to help plant flowers on the library grounds.
Community of Friends, a social support club for individuals with disabilities, will be planting April 17 at 1 p.m. Public is invited to attend.
These individuals are looking forward to the activity and future ones in their communities, organizer Jennifer Collins Lanceslin said. Such opportunities allow individuals to socialize with others, observe, explore, learn new experiences, share skills and give back to their communities. All of this promotes pride and sense of belonging while highlighting their abilities.
Anyone interested in hosting an activity day may contact Lanceslin at 337-346-1006 or Janice Mitchell at 337-940-2792.
St. Mary Council on Aging is making available a new program just in time for Older Americans Month in May.
The program is called Sponsor-A-Senior, and according to Beverly Domengeaux, executive director of COA, it is one way COA intends to combat the purported 25 percent funding cuts she and COA expect from “Baton Rouge and Washington” this year.
“You can give a donation of anything,” said Domengeaux, addressing the Franklin Rotary Club Tuesday. “You can give a donation in memory of a loved one, $250 will sponsor a senior for three months, $500 for six months, $1,000 for the whole year or $5,000 would help me underwrite one delivery day (meal delivery to parish seniors).”
Domengeaux also mentioned South Louisiana Giving Day on May 10 as another sponsorship opportunity COA is taking part in.
SLGD is a way to support local non-profits, schools and churches. COA is accepting donations for SAS and SLGD, or if one wishes to donate to their resale shop—Treasures Under the Oaks accepts all reasonably usable donations, year-round.
Domengeaux continued, “So, what can you do? Just care… that’s all. If you’ve got a neighbor that’s older, see if there’s anything you can do to help. You’d be surprised how many people have outlived their families, or their families have moved on.”
She told a story of a fictitious figure, a woman she imagined, but whom she has also met in several forms over the years, who has spent her whole adult life looking after her family and her community and now, in her 90s, needs someone to help her care for herself.
Domengeaux said that’s where COA picks up the burden that some seniors are even too proud to admit is too much for them to bear on their own.
However, Domengeaux says the burden is now becoming too much for COA. She says she has had to trim down her staff to bare minimum levels and must rely now on donations, more than ever.
Yet she says she sees bigger societal implications in forgetting one’s own community.
“I remember growing up, everyone knew their neighbors, and if something happened, everyone was there,” she said.
“We’ve gotten away from that. I want to challenge every person sitting here. You’ve got a lot of talent. You’ve got a lot of history. Spread it.
“These kids nowadays, they don’t know their history. Spread the word. Talk to the young people about respect for their elders.
“We were taught that.”
The last story she told was about recently being at a local market and seeing a senior citizen struggling to reach something on the market shelf.
She said she noticed two young girls who, absorbed in the trappings of their youth, brushed the senior citizen aside and continued on their way, none the wiser of the assistance or even acknowledgement they failed to offer.
“C’mon folks,” Domengeaux said, “have a little courtesy. She may be moving slowly, but one day they (the youngsters) may be there, moving slower, too.”
She reminded the room of Rotarians, “There are a lot of non-profit organizations out there. Not everybody in this room is going to have cancer. Not everybody in this room is going to get heart disease. Not everybody is going to be a victim of domestic violence. But, you know what everybody in this room is facing? It’s called aging. We all are going to get old, and that’s something that we seem to forget about.”
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The Patterson Lumberjills knocked off the Berwick Lady Panthers, 7-6, on senior day in Patterson.
No individual stats were available for either team.
Monday’s game, which was a makeup for a rainout Thursday, marked the first time in almost exactly six year that Patterson has beaten Berwick in a regular season softball game. The Lumberjills knocked off the Lady Panthers, 3-2, on March 27, 2012.
Berwick (8-14 overall, 2-6 in district) will return to action Tuesday when it hosts Abbeville in District 8-3A action.
Meanwhile, Patterson (12-11, 3-5) will travel to face Erath in a 5:30 p.m. contest Tuesday.
MCHS clinches share
of district title
The Morgan City Lady Tigers clinched a share of the District 7-4A title Monday with a 14-1 win at Ellender in six innings.
Because everyone else in the district has at least two losses, the Lady Tigers will win a share of the league crown regardless of the outcome of their final two games.
In Monday’s game, a makeup from a rainout Thursday, Morgan City led 2-0 after an inning, 5-0 after two complete and took a 7-1 lead after four innings.
The Lady Tigers erupted for seven runs in the top of the sixth while holding Ellender scoreless in the bottom of the frame to invoke the 10-run mercy rule.
Morgan City outhit Ellender, 10-5, while the Ellender committed eight miscues to Morgan City’s one error.
Offensively, Kennedy Hebert led Morgan City with a 2-for-3 performance with two RBIs, four stolen bases and four runs. Other top Morgan City offensive contributors were: Haylie Crappell, 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs; Nia Lightfoot, 2-for-3, an RBI and two runs; Brynn Stephens, 2-for-4, two stolen bases and two runs; Allie Vincent, 2-for-4, two runs; and Hannah Prado, two RBIs.
Hebert earned the win. In six innings, she surrendered one run (one earned) on five hits with one walk, one hit batter and 10 strikeouts.
Morgan City (16-3, 4-0) will continue district action Tuesday when it travels to Houma to face Vandebilt Catholic in a 4 p.m. contest.
Cajun Search and Rescue Team was in front of the cameras this week.
The team will be featured in a documentary production instigated by a London production company, according to Commander Toney Wade of Baldwin.
“They sent us a message on Facebook,” Wade said of the company. “They were working for The Discovery Channel putting together a documentary on search and rescue…him and I talked a little bit, and he felt we had what they wanted.”
The crew filmed a search last Friday and again Tuesday, Wade said. “We went out in the boat, did some aquatic cadaver (location) work, then they wanted to see (K9) Guus do some bite work so one of the guys put the bite sleeve on and they filmed that.”
The company intends to make a two-hour documentary, and are hoping to make a theatrical release. “It’s funny,” Wade said, “because we were contacted by National Geographic about a month ago for a documentary, and then yesterday, the producer from the show ‘Swamp People’ called me. So they’re interested in doing something. It’s blowing up in front of our faces, but we’re happy about it.”
Cajun Search and Rescue Group is an all-volunteer group that relies on donations and fundraisers to continue their work. All publicity helps the cause, Wade said.
“What they want to do is put this together then come back during storm season and during the summer and imbed with us for a couple of weeks,” Wade said.
Just in the last few weeks, the team has searched for a 17-year-old who was pulled away in a rip tide in coastal Alabama. “Two of us went up and spent a few days, we searched 100 miles of gulf by boat, walked a lot of beaches, but couldn’t find him. The Coast Guard thought that with the drift he might be as far as Grand Isle, so we searched those areas and never did receive anything.”
The team is working a homicide case in Mamou, La.; and a Clairborne Parish case of a missing four-year-old.
There are five core members on the team, and some 100 or so additional volunteers. The core members are Wade, Lt. Commander Claire Weiss, Tina Frey, Sydney Broussard and Kip Coltrin.
“When we roll, it never slows down,” Wade said, the group often spread out in multiple areas.
The team also visits schools with its “Hug A Tree and Survive” presentation. “It was established back in the 90s when a child went missing and he kept walking and walking, and by the time they found him he was deceased,” Wade said. “So they created that program.”
The impetus is that a lost child or person should stay in one place and await rescue rather than move about. “It makes it easier to find them,” Wade said. “The kids just love it, it’s a really great program. Just find a tree and sit there, don’t move.”
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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