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DIANNE PITRE GOVERNALE

Mon, 02/19/2018 - 9:12am

September 23, 1937 - February 17, 2018
Dianne Pitre Governale, a longtime resident of Patterson, passed away at her home at the age of 80 on Saturday, February 17, 2018, surrounded by her family. Dianne was born in Franklin on September 23, 1937, the second of three children born to the late Felix Joseph Pitre and the late Ethel Hebert Pitre. She was a 1956 graduate of Franklin Senior High School. On December 30, 1961 she married the love of her life, Frankie James Governale, and the two began raising their family. She later went to work at Patterson High School where she worked as the school secretary for 26 years, retiring in 1999. She also worked for many years alongside her husband as an election commissioner at their polling place. She was a longtime and faithful parishioner of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Patterson where she sang in the choir and helped for their annual St. Joseph’s Altar. Some of her favorite pastimes were playing Pokeno, gardening, going to Champions Gym, attending community concerts, and going on travel trips with family and friends. But by far, what was most important in Dianne’s life was her family, whom she deeply loved.
She will be dearly missed and lovingly remembered by her four children, Chad Michael Governale of Maurice, James Anthony Governale and his wife Heidi of Stephensville, Maria Francesca Governale Lantz and her husband Kent of Patterson, and Scott Thomas Governale of Patterson; three grandsons, Dominic Michael Governale, Devyn Christopher Governale, and Copeland Randall Atkinson; one sister, Norma Pitre Clements of Centerville; two sisters-in-law, Jean Carol Governale of Patterson and Antoinine Governale Erler and her husband Richard of Broussard; as well as her three nieces and her nephew.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 50 years, Frankie James Governale; her brother, Darel J. Pitre; brother-in-law, Alton J. Clements; and her in-laws, Russell Governale and Molly Cutrera Governale.
A gathering of family and friends will be held Tuesday, February 20, at Ibert’s Mortuary in Patterson from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m., with a wake service and rosary at 6:30 p.m., led by Father Herb Bennerfield. Visitations will resume at 8 a.m. Wednesday morning at St. Joseph Catholic Church, with a Mass of Christian Burial at 11 a.m. Father Michael Russo will be the Celebrant for the Mass, with Father Herb Bennerfield, Father Angelo Cremaldi, and Father Oneil Landry concelebrating. Following the Mass, she will be laid to rest in the St. Joseph Cemetery Mausoleum. Serving as pallbearers will be Kent Lantz, Dwayne Clements, Jacob Marcell, Leonard “Lenny” Armato, Robert Marcell, and Roger Henke.
Family and friends may view the obituary and express their condolences online by visiting www.iberts.com.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Ibert’s Mortuary, Inc., 1111 Lia Street, Patterson, La. 70392, (985) 395-7873.

Police Reports 2-19-18

Mon, 02/19/2018 - 9:12am

Franklin Police Chief Sabria McGuire reported the following arrests:
Alton Fine, 27, of Blakesley Street, Franklin, was arrested Thursday at 7:15 p.m. on the charge of simple burglary.
Officers responded to the area of Blakesley Street in reference to an unknown male subject inside of a vehicle. Upon arrival, officers spoke with witnesses that later identified Fine as the suspect. Fine was booked, processed, and held with no bond set at the time of press release.
St. Mary Parish Sheriff Scott Anslum reported the following arrests:
Daniel Robertson, 33, of 258 Jones Road, Jeanerette, was arrested Friday at 9:29 p.m. on the charge of possession of Schedule I marijuana.
A deputy responded to a call for service regarding a suspicious vehicle on La. 182 in Baldwin. The deputy located the suspect vehicle on Yokley Road and conducted a traffic stop. The deputy identified the driver as Robertson. The deputy developed information that there was marijuana in the vehicle and located a bag of the substance beneath the driver’s seat. Robertson was released on a summons.
Dylan Ives, 22, of 317 Park Road, Morgan City, was arrested Thursday at 2:11 p.m. on charges of possession of Schedule I marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and on a warrant for failure to appear on charges of possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Bianca Stone, 35, of 214 Mars Road No.4, Bayou Vista, was arrested Thursday at 2:11 p.m. on charges of possession of Schedule I marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Demetrius Green, 26, of 214 Mars Road #4, Bayou Vista, was arrested Thursday at 2:11 p.m. on charges of possession of Schedule I marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Narcotics detectives received information about possible illegal drug activity at an apartment on Mars Road in Bayou Vista. Detectives went to the residence and observed marijuana and a grinder. Detectives obtained a search warrant for the location and found marijuana and items of drug paraphernalia belonging to Ives, Stone, and Green. Green and Stone were released on summonses. Ives was transported to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center for booking. No bail is set.
Christon Grady, 32, of 2214 River Road, Berwick, was arrested Thursday at 3:08 p.m. on the charge of speeding and on a warrant for failure to appear on the charge of criminal neglect of family.
Narcotics detectives were patrolling Morgan City and Berwick when they observed a vehicle speeding 42 miles per hour in a 30 mile per hour zone on the La. 182 bridge. Detectives conducted a traffic stop, identified the driver as Grady, and located the active warrant for his arrest. Grady was transported to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center for booking. No bail is set.
Arian Wiggins, 20, of 723 Teche Road, Bayou Vista, was arrested Thursday at 7:20 p.m. on charges of possession of Schedule I marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Narcotics detectives conducting a traffic stop in Bayou Vista identified an occupant of the vehicle as Wiggins and found that she was in possession of marijuana. Wiggins was released on a summons.
Cecile Rabalais, 26, of 510 Holiday Drive, Thibodaux, was arrested Thursday at 7:45 p.m. on charges of speeding, possession of Schedule I marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
A patrol deputy monitoring traffic on US 90 in Berwick stopped a vehicle traveling 75 miles per hour in a posted 55 miles per hour zone. The deputy identified the driver as Rabalais and smelled the odor of marijuana emanating from the vehicle. The K-9 Unit detective arrived to assist with the traffic stop investigation. The detective received consent to search the vehicle and located marijuana. Rabalais was released on a summons.
Dexter Aucoin, 25, of 505 Joey St., Patterson, was arrested Thursday at 9:45 p.m. on charges of proper equipment required display of license plate, stop sign violation and possession of Schedule I marijuana.
Narcotics detectives patrolling Patterson observed a vehicle fail to stop at a stop sign on Red Cypress Road at La. 182. Detectives also observed that the view of the vehicle’s license plate was obstructed. Detectives conducted a traffic stop, identified the driver as Aucoin, and smelled the odor of marijuana coming from the car. Detectives located marijuana on Aucoin’s person. Aucoin was released on a summons.

Higgins to speak to API

Mon, 02/19/2018 - 8:48am

U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins, R-Port Barre, will speak Tuesday to the Atchafalaya Chapter of the American Petroleum Institute.

The chapter will meet at the Petroleum Club of Morgan City. Higgins, who represents Louisiana's 3rd Congressional District, will give attendees an update on what’s occurring in Congress. A social will start at 6:30 p.m. followed by the program at 7 p.m.

The meeting is only open to members and their guests. Those planning to attend are asked to reserve their seats by calling Carolyn Doiron at 985-385-9868. Coats are requested.

Parish council says no to Dollar General location

Mon, 02/19/2018 - 7:36am

Location of a Dollar General Store in Centerville was denied by the St. Mary Parish Council Wednesday.
Capital Growth Buchalter representative Kirk Farrley said the company hoped to build the store across from Centerville High School on the tract of land which Matt Lane runs toward Bayou Teche.
The zoning board previously denied rezoning the property from residential to commercial. It was presented to the parish council for final action.
The building would be 9,100 square feet, with 30 off-street parking spaces and a truck turnaround at the rear.
Farrley said flood zoning issues necessitated keeping the building as close to the road as possible.
An existing building on the lot line, a former grocery store, would have been removed.
La. DOTD had no objections to the location and no traffic study was necessary, Farrley said, nor are there any construction plans on the roadway.
Farrley said traffic in the area would only slightly increase, with peak hours of the store being 5-7 p.m. and about 290 customers per day.
Councilman Craig Mathews said there are concerns regarding the school. He also said he’s noted that such stores are usually located within residential areas for easier access.
“Our goal is to develop and design properties as close to the strategic point as we can,” Farrley said, noting that the location was chosen on those factors.
Projected sales for the Centerville location would have been $1.5 to $1.6 million annually, he said.
The cost of the building will cost about $550,000 to construct.
The parish would have earned revenues on sales and property taxes during construction and in operation as well.
The parish council was also in receipt of correspondence from the St. Mary Parish Superintendent of Schools expressing concerns with the location of the store in relation to Centerville High.
Students regularly cross the road to visit the St. Mary Parish Library branch with a teacher escort, Councilman Paul Naquin said. He also noted that sheriff’s deputies are usually at the school to monitor traffic when students arrive and leave.
Mathews said if the company has in fact looked at other locations and is set on the proposed site, and if denied, he could show the company potential sites in his parish council district.
“I think all of us want you here, but we may have different opinions on how to get you here,” he said.
Councilman J Ina said, as a school principal, the safety of students is paramount. “I don’t want this to turn into Dollar General being the cause of any safety issues,” he said. “We’ve discussed quite a few concerns…there’s some things we need to address.”
Councilman Dale Rogers said he feared setting a precedent for rezoning a residential property to commercial and such actions would continue. “The people I talked to really don’t want that,” he said.
Mathews said the council has rezoned and “certain laws were not followed, or were even created, in order to make a decision go a certain way.”
He said he was worried about the precedent that “sends the wrong signal to prospects that are looking to develop business in our community. It just seems to me that almost every time there is potential to development…we almost go to the hilt to find reasons to discourage, deter or prohibit it. That sends a greater message, a major message...to business” that discourages investment in the area.
One Centerville resident spoke against the store’s location. Another, the property owner of the site, spoke in favor.

Organization in Russia indictments was linked to 2014 St. Mary alert hoax

Sat, 02/17/2018 - 10:57am

By BILL DECKER

bdecker@daily-review.com

The bombshell indictments handed down Friday in the investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election targeted an operation known as the Internet Research Agency.

Duval Arthur, director of homeland security and emergency preparedness for St. Mary Parish, has heard the name before.

Reporting by the New York Times Magazine had linked the Russia-based Internet Research Agency to a chemical release alert hoax in St. Mary, fueled by text messages and fake social media postings, on Sept. 11, 2014. The indictments released Friday by the team of special counsel Robert Mueller said two Russians traveled to Louisiana and eight other states in June 2014, about three months before the St. Mary alert hoax.

Alexsandra Yuryevna Krylova, alleged to be a high-ranking member of the Internet Research Agency, and Anna Vladislavovna Bogacheva, who the indictments say was a translator and in charge of data acquisition, came to the United States “under false pretenses for the purpose of collecting intelligence to inform (the agency’s) operations,” according to the indictments.

The indictments don’t mention the St. Mary case specifically. But the allegations raise the possibility that the St. Mary alert hoax was a test run for subsequent political operations by the Internet Research Agency or a method for learning how to compromise important public safety infrastructure in the United States.

“Is it political? I don’t know,” Arthur said Saturday. “I don’t know why they did it unless it’s to find out what our response would be or whether they could take over our text messaging system.”

The alert went out sometime before 8:30 a.m. on the 13th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. St. Mary residents received alerts warning of a chemical release at the Columbian Chemicals plant near Centerville. The plant produces carbon black, which is essentially a refined soot used to reinforce rubber in products such as tires and as a pigment in paint and ink.

Arthur said he needed only about an hour to contact the plant and determine that there was no chemical release. He later obtained a letter from the company and posted it on Facebook.

“It appeared to be a hoax to us right off the bat,” Arthur said.

But the New York Times Magazine’s Amy Chen reported in 2015 that “dozens of journalists, media outlets and politicians, from Louisiana to New York City, found their Twitter accounts inundated with messages about the disaster.”

Among the links that showed up in social media posts about the alleged release was one to a YouTube video in which ISIS had claimed credit for the attack on the St. Mary plant. In the video, men purported to be ISIS fighters spoke over footage of an explosion, according to the New York Times Magazine. None of the material was true.

Arthur said he contacted the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the fake phone number used to initiate the alert, looking for help in tracking down the people behind the hoax. He said the FBI didn’t share any information about the owner of the number.

“I felt bad that we couldn’t make the case against anybody,” Arthur said.

According to The Associated Press, Friday’s indictments named 13 Russians, including Yevgeny Prigozhin, a wealthy St. Petersburg businessman with links to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Prigozhin is alleged to have financed the Internet Research Agency’s operation, which the indictment describes as a wide-ranging Russian effort to sway political opinion in the United States through a strategy that involved creating internet postings in the names of Americans whose identities had been stolen; staging political rallies while posing as American political activists; and paying people in the U.S. to promote or disparage candidates.

Krylova and Bogacheva were also among the individuals who were indicted.

"This indictment serves as a reminder that people are not always who they appear to be on the internet," Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein said Friday. "The indictment alleges that the Russian conspirators want to promote discord in the United States and undermine public confidence in democracy. We must not allow them to succeed."

The Associated Press contributed to the reporting for this story.

Area baseball and softball teams to compete in jamboree

Fri, 02/16/2018 - 5:54pm

High School baseball and softball teams will complete their final regular-season tune-ups this weekend when they compete in jamborees. Three of the four Tri-City area baseball teams will compete in Morgan City High School’s jamboree Saturday at Tiger Diamond. Berwick, Patterson and Morgan City will be in action along with Hanson and Franklin. Area games include Berwick and Patterson meeting at 9 a.m., Morgan City and Patterson at noon, Berwick and Hanson at 1:30 p.m. and Morgan City and Franklin at 3 p.m. Each game will be either one hour and 15 minutes or three innings. Central Catholic will participate in ...

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CCHS alum Brown hits 2K points in New Orleans' victory

Fri, 02/16/2018 - 5:50pm

Staff Report

NEW ORLEANS —

Fittingly, it was a three-point jumper with 4:26 remaining in the third quarter that gave senior Randi Brown exactly 2,000 points for her University of New Orleans career.
That shot, three of her 32 on the night, places the Central Catholic alum in rare company as only the second player in University of New Orleans history to reach the 2,000-point mark.
Brown achieved the mark as the Privateers (12-13 overall, 8-6 Southland Conference) defeated Southeastern Louisiana (6-19, 5-9) 82-73 Wednesday night at Lakefront Arena.
“My teammates push me so hard and just keep me going,” Brown said in a news release. “My teammates and coaches trust me with the ball even when I’m not doing so good, so none of this would happen without them. It’s really emotional, and I’m proud of myself.”
The senior from Houma joins former New Orleans great Sandra Hodge (1980-84) in the 2K club. Brown has 2,008 career points, placing her seventh on the all-time Southland Conference scoring list.
“Randi knew she was only 24 points away from 2,000, and I knew the night was not going to get away without her getting those points,” New Orleans Head Coach Keeshawn Davenport said in a news release. “It’s a blessing for me to witness this while I’m coaching. The Lord allows you so many years to coach great players, and that’s not a feat many college players can say they accomplished. She put in a lot of work to accomplish this, so kudos to her.”
Brown also found time to grab 10 rebounds Wednesday. She was joined in double figures by senior guard Kayla Mundy with 19 points on 6-of-9 from the field and a 6-of-6 effort at the free-throw line.
Center Shania Woods recorded her 10th double-double of the season with 18 points and 13 boards.
FIRST QUARTER
It was a high-scoring affair ending in a 22-22 tie. The largest Southeastern lead was 7-4 at the 6:21 mark. New Orleans led by five twice at 12-7 with 4:58 remaining and 18-13 at the 2:20 mark. Brown had 14 points.
SECOND QUARTER
The Privateers took the second quarter by three, 17-14. Jada Swafford got things started with the first five points for New Orleans on two free throws and a three-pointer. Southeastern took its last lead of the game at 30-29 on a basket by Taylin Underwood with 6:14 remaining. Jumpers by Mundy and Brown stretched the lead to four. A jumper by Halie Matthews and a free throw by Woods made it 39-34 New Orleans. The period closed with New Orleans holding a 39-36 halftime lead. Brown had 19 points at halftime, while Southeastern had two double-digit scorers at the break, Charliee Dugas with 12 and Underwood with 10.
THIRD QUARTER
A 21-6 run during the third period decided things for the Privateers. Woods scored the period’s first seven points for New Orleans. She finished with nine in the quarter. The run gave New Orleans its largest lead at 60-42. Mundy had seven of her 19 points in the third as New Orleans took a 64-52 advantage into the final stanza.
FOURTH QUARTER
The Lady Lions never really threatened in the final period as the Privateers led by double digits through most of the quarter. Southeastern got no closer than eight at 73-65 with 4:41 remaining. New Orleans had leads of 13 on three occasions during the fourth. Brown and Mundy had six points in the final quarter.
KEY NUMBERS
Brown’s 10-rebound night was a season high and 12 field goals against Southeastern was also a season-high for the Southland Conference’s leading scorer.
The Privateers lead the Southland Conference in free-throw shooting. They were 22-of-25 from the line against the Lady Lions.
Mundy has reached double-figures in 11 of the last 13 contests.
New Orleans is in sixth place in Southland Conference standings through Wednesday’s games.
UP NEXT
New Orleans will host McNeese Saturday at Lakefront Arena in a doubleheader. The women’s game starts at 2 p.m., while the men’s contest starts at 4:15 p.m. It will be Homecoming Weekend.
Follow @UNOPrivateers on Twitter, @UNOPrivateers on Instagram, like /UNOPrivateers on Facebook and subscribe to the PrivateerAthletics YouTube channel.

Knights of Columbus district free-throw contest winners

Fri, 02/16/2018 - 5:47pm

(Photo above)

MCHS will travel to meet Bossier

Fri, 02/16/2018 - 5:44pm

GEOFF STOUTE

gstoute@daily-review.com

No. 28 seed Morgan City High School will begin Class 4A girls’ basketball playoff action Thursday when it travels to face the No. 5 seed Bossier Lady Kats in a 6:30 p.m. first-round contest.
Morgan City (13-14 overall, 1-5 in District 7-4A) finished tied for sixth place in league play in their first season under head coach Duriel Singleton.
The Lady Tigers will be looking to snap a four-game losing streak with the first-round upset Thursday. Morgan City’s last win was a 66-53 win at Assumption Jan. 23.
Meanwhile, Bossier (21-5 overall, 10-4 in District 1-4A) finished tied for second in league play with Minden. Bossier, which is Class 4A’s top seed, won the district title.
Bossier comes into the postseason on a two-game winning streak. Its last loss was a 50-44 loss to Benton on Feb. 2.
Besides two losses to Benton, Bossier has fallen only to Huntington, Booker T. Washington and Southwood once. Three of the team’s losses were by two points or less. Each of the four teams Bossier fell to qualified for the postseason.
Morgan City also faced some tough competition in district play as the Lady Tigers fell to No. 2 seed South Lafourche and No. 6 seed Ellender. Ellender is Class 4A’s defending state champion.
Singleton was not available for comment.

MCHS tops Vandebilt Catholic, clinches share of District 7-4A crown

Fri, 02/16/2018 - 5:42pm

Morgan City High School clinched a share of the District 7-4A title Wednesday with a 66-43 victory against Vandebilt Catholic in Morgan City. While the Tigers won the game by 23 points, it was close entering the fourth quarter as Morgan City hit a buzzer-beater for just a 37-34 lead. However, Morgan City caught fire around the hoop in the final period as it outscored Vandebilt Catholic 29-9 for the dominant win. Morgan City (5-0 in district) can clinch the outright title Friday with a victory at Assumption (4-1 in league play). If the Tigers lose, it will share the title with Assumption ...