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Newest Chamber member: Delta Urgent Care

Wed, 10/04/2017 - 1:14pm

Delta Urgent Care is the newest member of the St. Mary Chamber of Commerce. Delta Urgent Care is a medical walk-in clinic specializing in the treatment of urgent but not life-threatening illness and injury. Now with locations in both Houma and Bayou Vista, the clinics are open 9 a.m.-8 p.m. seven days a week. Although appointments can be made online through the clinic website, they are never required. The clinics accept most major medical and workers’ compensation insurances, but also offer a discounted rate for those who are not medically insured. Delta Urgent Care is both locally owned and operated by Dr. Michael Straney of Schriever and Physician Assistants Brad Chauvin and Scott Diedrich of Houma and Thibodaux, shown here with Chamber President Donna F. Meyer. Patients can follow the clinic on Facebook, visit DeltaUrgentCareLA.com or stop by one of two locations at 1340 Grand Caillou Road in Houma or 1505 La. 90 in Bayou Vista to learn more.

Bank gives to Patterson Main Street Tour

Wed, 10/04/2017 - 1:07pm

Submitted Photo
Patterson State Bank Chief Financial Officer Jason Watson, center, presents a sponsorship donation to Ryan Aucoin, Lower Atchafalaya Historical & Cultural Commission director, and Dawn Rentrop, Cultural Commission chairman, for the second annual Historic Main Street Tour and Fall Festival to be held 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28. All funds raised from the event including, donations and sponsorships, will go toward promoting tourism and the growth and expansion of the Historic downtown area in Patterson.

Pellegrin-Martin named Employee of the Month

Wed, 10/04/2017 - 1:03pm

Terrebonne General Medical Center (TGMC) honors Amy Pellegrin-Martin, as the September Employee of the Month. Martin is a clinical project coordinator in the TGMC Information Technology Department.

During the recent implementation of EPIC, the electronic medical record system, Pellegrin-Martin served as a key resource for ensuring a smooth transition. Pellegrin-Martin’s commitment and strong clinical and technological backgrounds allowed her to serve her team by eliminating any technological anomalies with ease and confidence, the hospital said.

Louisiana Spotlight: Texts and emails are 'next frontier' for public records

Wed, 10/04/2017 - 12:48pm

By JEREMY ALFORD

The general counsel for the state’s premier newspaper and magazine association believes that the “next frontier for public records law in Louisiana” will involve text messages and emails.
How the text messages of elected officials, appointees and public employees should be treated is a particularly tricky question, said Scott Sternberg, a First Amendment attorney and a partner with Sternberg, Naccari and White in New Orleans.

There’s little to no case law on the subject in Louisiana, he said, which means it will either require litigation or legislation for answers.

“I think we’re going to see more and more exceptions to the public records law being written,” said Sternberg, the general counsel for the Louisiana Press Association.

The issue of email accounts is equally as challenging, especially in light of the growing number of volunteer government employees, like those serving on charter school boards, he said.

“We’re used to having a school board that gets elected and is paid (with public money) and has regular meetings,” Sternberg said, comparing that structure to some charter school boards. “These are doctors and lawyers and friends of the (charter) school that are all using their Gmail accounts to communicate and organize the efforts of the school.”

While technology has certainly improved how people can keep in touch, Sternberg pointed out that cell phones have likewise created an environment where real-time communications are fairly simple — and often overlooked as a public record.

For example, do text messages between members of a public body, drafted when the body is meeting, instantly classify them as public documents?

But to obtain a definitive answer, Sternberg said it would likely take a citizen or reporter being denied public records related to text messages and then that party filing suit against the appropriate arm of government.

Governor remains
issue in PSC race
Gov. John Bel Edwards isn’t on the fall ballot in name, but he is in spirit — at least when it comes to the special election for the Public Service Commission.

Former state Rep. Lenar Whitney of Houma is one of the three candidates in the race and she has been using the governor’s name and likeness as part of her central attack strategy.

One of her campaign’s more recent direct mail pieces took aim at both of her PSC opponents, former state Rep. Damon Baldone of Houma and Dr. Craige Greene of Baton Rouge, who, like Whitney, are Republicans.

The mailer includes a photo of Edwards telling voters, “Just vote for either one of my guys!” It also tags Baldone and Greene for donating money to Edwards, among other things.
Baldone was temporarily appointed to the PSC seat by Edwards this year and he is now running for the permanent job. Greene, meanwhile, has stated publicly that he regretted supporting Edwards in the past.

Political history:
Remembering Jim Garrison

Next month marks the 25th anniversary of the death of New Orleans district attorney Jim Garrison, a man with firm connections to the sprawling conspiracy theories involving the assassination President John F. Kennedy.

According to his New York Times obituary, Garrison “asserted that Lee Harvey Oswald, whom the Warren Commission identified as the lone assassin in the President’s 1963 death, was not the killer and had ‘never fired a shot.’ Announcing that he had ‘solved the assassination,’ Mr. Garrison accused anti-Communist and anti-Castro extremists in the Central Intelligence Agency of plotting the President’s death to thwart an easing of tension with the Soviet Union and Cuba, and to prevent a retreat from Vietnam.”

Garrison did eventually prosecute the case, but the 34-day trial was sometimes portrayed in the mainstream media as a circus that concluded with an acquittal.

At six-foot-six, Garrison was “known for bar hopping along Bourbon Street, often wearing a white dinner jacket,” as The New York Times put it. In 1973, Garrison himself was indicted on federal charges of taking bribes to protect illegal pinball gambling. He defended himself and won, but the trial hurt his campaign for a fourth term.

He lost re-election to Harry Connick Sr., ending a 12-year elected career. He later won a seat in Louisiana’s Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal in 1978, and remained there until he retired at age 70.

Months before his death, he returned to the limelight in Oliver Stone’s movie “JFK,” a narrative based largely on Garrison’s own accounts that grossed $195 million in the box office. He passed away in 1992 at his home in New Orleans.

They said it
“Dead as a doornail.”
—U.S. Sen. John Kennedy, describing the Graham-Cassidy health care bill, in The AP
“(I’m) almost agnostic.”
—Gov. John Bel Edwards, on how he wants the state’s budget and revenue problems fixed, in The AP

For more Louisiana political news, visit www.LaPolitics.com or follow Jeremy Alford on Twitter @LaPoliticsNow.

Police, community gather for night out in Berwick

Wed, 10/04/2017 - 10:43am

By ZACHARY FITZGERALD

zfitzgerald@daily-review.com

Berwick, La.

Community members and police officers came together Tuesday evening for a night of fun and camaraderie while remembering the recent tragic events around the country.

The Berwick Housing Authority and Berwick Police Department partnered to host their 15th annual Night Out Against Crime at the housing authority.

The night out included a fun jump, inflatable slide, petting zoo, music, hamburgers, chili and snow cones, and the event let the public interact with officers.

“As much as has been going on in the world today, yesterday and even in the future ... tonight, let’s put all that aside,” Housing Authority Executive Director Clarence Robinson said. “Let’s fellowship, and make sure we keep peace in our hearts.”

Mayor Louis Ratcliff asked attendees to observe a moment of silence during the event in memory of the Lafayette police officer who was killed Sunday in the line of duty and the many people killed and injured in the Las Vegas shootings.

When Robinson first became director of the housing authority 16 years ago, he met with police officials to make sure people feel safe living in the authority.

“We came up with this (event),” Robinson said. “We took the initiative because we wanted to give back to the police department.”

Police and housing authority leaders created a great and lasting relationship, Robinson said.

“This evening’s about the police and the community coming together,” said Police Chief James Richard, who also serves as chairman of the housing authority board.

Richard encouraged community members to call the police department if they have a concern no matter how minor the incident may seem to be. The Berwick Police Department can be reached at 985-384-7710.

“The only way we know what’s going on out there is if you call the police department and report it,” Richard said. “Don’t hesitate.”

Robinson believes events that bring the community together, such as Tuesday’s night out, have helped make the Berwick Housing Authority one of the safest housing authorities.

Tropical depression bears watching

Wed, 10/04/2017 - 9:53am

A tropical depression formed in the Caribbean Sea on Tuesday with projections indicating it will move into the Gulf of Mexico in the coming days.

According to the National Hurricane Center, the depression should move slowly northwestward across or near the eastern portions of Nicaragua and Honduras on Thursday, move into the northwestern Caribbean Sea by Friday, and emerge over the southern Gulf of Mexico by Saturday.

If the depression strengthens into hurricane it'll be the ninth of the season and possibly the third to strike the United States.

'Refuge of the Rising Star' awards ceremony on Aug. 13

Wed, 10/04/2017 - 9:35am

Refuge of the Rising Star held an awards ceremony Aug. 13 at the West St. Mary Civic Center.
The non-profit organization focuses on “the well-being of the youth and elderly in the community” and honored local African-American members of the community.
Honorees were:
—Community Legion Award: Almetra J. Franklin, CEO, St. Mary Community Action Agency
—Community Business Trailblazer Award, the Foulcard Family, Joseph, Carl and Albert
—Community Entrepreneurial Award, Kirby V. Madison, L&E Express Daiquiri
—Community Longevity Award, Skinner’s Barber Shop, Isiah Skinner Jr.
—Community Inspiration Award, Mark’s Electric Inc., Hollis Marks
—Community Entertainment Award, Joshua “DJ Fab” Singleton, KBZE radio
—Community Rev. Clarence Stewart Award in Ministry, Rev. Ronald C. Young, St. Joseph Baptist Church
St. Mary Parish Councilman Craig Mathews served as master of ceremonies. V. Harris provided decorating and kitchen help, and Chef Mr. Moses Grimm the dining.

Homecoming for FHS; HMS, WSM, CHS take on foes

Wed, 10/04/2017 - 9:33am

The Franklin Hornets will honor its senior players with homecoming on Friday while the West St. Mary Wolfpack and the Centerville Bulldogs will take on district foes in a pair of Thursday games and the Hanson Memorial Tigers will travel on Friday in Week 6 of the high school season.
Franklin (0-5, 0-2) will be looking to post its first win of the season with the Delcambre Panthers (0-4, 0-2) visits J. C. Dry Stadium for Homecoming and District 7-2A action on Friday at 7 p.m.
On Thursday, the West St. Mary Woflpack (2-0, 2-0) will head to New Iberia to battle the Catholic High School of New Iberia Panthers (4-1, 1-0) in District 7-2A action at 7 p.m.
The Centerville Bulldogs (4-1, 0-1) will host the Gueydan Bears (2-3, 0-2) on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Bulldog Stadium in District 7-A play.
The Hanson Memorial Tigers (2-3, 1-1) will travel to face the Lafayette Christian Academy Knights (5-0, 2-0) on Friday in a District 7-A showdown in Lafayette.
DELCAMBRE at FRANKLIN
Franklin honors its seniors with homecoming Friday when the Delcambre Panthers come to town for a District 7-2A contest at J. C. Dry Stadium.
Franklin and Delcambre will be looking for their first league win on Friday in the District 7-2A matchup.
Franklin celebrates homecoming on Friday in a District 7-2A contest against the Delcambre Panthers at 7 p.m.
WEST ST. MARY at CATHOLIC HIGH
After posting consecutive District 7-2A victories over Franklin and Delcambre, the West St. Mary Wolfpack will make the short drive to New Iberia to battle the Catholic High of New Iberia Panthers in league play on Thursday at 7 p.m.
West St. Mary knocked off Franklin and Delcambre in consecutive weeks to improve to 2-3 overall and 2-0 in District 7-2A action.
Catholic High (4-1, 1-0) will play host to the West St Mary Wolfpack on Thursday after pinning a 57-8 loss on the Jeanerette Tigers in District 7-2A last week.
GUEYDAN at CENTERVILLE
The Centerville Bulldogs will host the Gueydan Bears in District 7-A action Thursday at Bulldog Stadium at 7 p.m.
Centerville dropped its first loss of the season to the high-flying Vermilion Catholic Screaming Eagles by a score of 49-6 on Friday.
Centerville (4-1, 0-1) will host the Gueydan Bears (2-3, 0-2) on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Bulldog Stadium a in District 7-A contest.
HANSON at LCA
After earning its first league win of the season last week, the Hanson Memorial Tigers will return to the road to face the LCA Knights on Friday in District 7-A action.
The Hanson Memorial Tigers blew past the Gueydan Bears 53-29 to post their first league win of the season last week.
LCA (5-0, 2-0) defeated the Central Catholic Eagles 54-7 in league play last week.
Hanson (2-3, 1-1) will travel to play the LCA Knights (5-0, 2-0) Friday in District 7-A action at 7 p.m. in Lafayette.

Fit, Fun & Fabulous is Thursday on Main Street

Wed, 10/04/2017 - 9:32am

Fit, Fun & Fabulous begins Thursday morning.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness, Domestic Violence Awareness, Drug Free, Fire Safety and Respiratory Awareness Month. Those are the reasons Fit, Fun & Fabulous was formed by its six participating organizations: Teche Action Clinic, Franklin Foundation Hospital, Chez Hope, Franklin/Morgan City Healthcare Centers, St. Mary Community Action Agency and The Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco Free Living.
The day opens with a 7:30 a.m. breakfast program at The Lamp Post with local physicians and presenters. A senior adult health program will also be at The Lamp Post.
There will be a downtown walking tour from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and participants can enter to win an autographed New Orleans Saints/NFL Hall of Famer Willie Roaf jersey. He’ll autograph the jersey at the Health and Wellness Luncheon at noon at The Lamp Post and the drawing will take place during the evening events. Winner must be present to win.
Also, anyone who completes the walking tour and turns in a completed map at one of the information tents will receive a Fit, Fun & Fabulous cooling towel.
Roaf will be the keynote speaker at the luncheon, and Catherine Siracusa, RN, will kick off a noon luncheon with a presentation “Recognizing Stroke FAST.” Tickets may be obtained from the Fit, Fun and Fabulous executive committee while they last.
Chez Hope’s 2017 Unity Day luncheon is also at noon at the Forest Restaurant. Health care screenings will be held from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., there will be a children’s area, fitness demonstrations, hands-on activities, the walking tour and booths by medical agencies paired with downtown businesses.
The Walk for Christ kicks off at 5:30 p.m. Contact Cynthia Prince or Delores Stewart to make sure your church or organization will be recognized at the event! Participants will walk together, hand-in-hand, as churches and civic organizations from across St. Mary Parish gather on Main Street. The walk will begin at the main stage on Commercial Street and loop around the historic lamp posts from Willow Street to Jackson Street while live gospel performers entertain.
This year’s evening entertainment will be The Cast, and organizers say “we believe physical activity should be fun, so wear your dancing shoes and come cut up Main Street with us!”
The evening ends with Chez Hope’s candlelight vigil for domestic violence awareness.
There will be more than 50 health, wellness and civic organization vendors set up for the Fit, Fun & Fabulous event. Main Street will be closed from Willow Street to Jackson Street from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Parking will be on the bayouside at Parc sur la Teche.
The walking tour day map and full evening activities map will be available in the event program.
Law enforcement will allow any vehicles en route to St. Mary Tire for repairs that day, and they will be safely escorted through. The road will be opened at 4 p.m. to allow the Franklin High School homecoming parade through, but will be closed again by 5 p.m. to allow the Chitimacha Recreation Department time to set up their evening activities on Main Street.

National Night Out

Wed, 10/04/2017 - 9:31am

A concept birthed in the 1970s has grown into a huge coming together of communities and law enforcment...and that's just the beginning.

National Night Out was observed at Pecot Park in Franklin Tuesday night, with local law enforcement agencies, public officials and entertainment guests to foster relationships between police and the community. The organizational umbrella of National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make our neighborhoods safer, more caring places to live, according to its website. National Night Out enhances the relationship between neighbors and law enforcement while bringing back a true sense of community. It provides a great opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances. Millions of neighbors take part in National Night Out across thousands of communities from all fifty states, U.S. territories and military bases.
Photos by CASEY COLLIER