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Louisiana-based shipbuilder Metal Shark is once again building multiple high-speed aluminum catamaran passenger vessels for the NYC Ferry Service, operated by Hornblower.

In early August, Metal Shark received orders from Hornblower for four 97-foot by 28-foot, 350-passenger U.S. Coast Guard Subchapter K vessels, which are a new and larger platform than the fleet of 150-passenger vessels NYC Ferry currently operates.

An additional 85-foot, 150-passenger USCG Subchapter T vessel has also been ordered. All of the new vessels are currently in production at Metal Shark’s Franklin waterfront shipyard, with accelerated delivery timelines calling for all five vessels to complete and deliver in 2018.

NYC Ferry’s new USCG Subchapter K vessels are designed by Incat Crowther and powered by twin 12-cylinder, 1,400-horsepower Baudouin 12M26.3 diesel engines, coupled to ZF Marine ZF3050 gearboxes and turning custom five-blade Michigan Wheel propellers. These larger “Rockaway Class” vessels boast an operating speed of 24 knots.

These new orders represent a continuation of Metal Shark’s relationship with Hornblower and NYC Ferry. In July 2016, Metal Shark was selected to build six 85-foot, 150-passenger, Incat Crowther-designed aluminum catamaran ferries for the NYC Ferry System. Between April and June of this year, Metal Shark delivered all six vessels on time, with an average per-unit build time of 10 months.

“As proud as we are of our previous record of on-time deliveries to Hornblower, it’s even more of an honor that the client returned to us to produce these significantly larger vessels under even more challenging timelines,” said Chris Allard, CEO of Metal Shark. “Over the past few months we have been working closely with Hornblower to meet the demands of these accelerated-delivery orders. Our client’s confidence in us speaks volumes, and our team is one hundred percent up to the task. Metal Shark looks forward to delivering these new, state-of-the-art passenger vessels to NYC Ferry and to the people of New York.”

Established in 1986, Gravois Aluminum Boats LLC, and its government-commercial boat entity Metal Shark Boats are leading suppliers of custom boats for defense, law enforcement, and commercial entities. Key customers include the United States Coast Guard, Navy, Air Force, Army, foreign militaries, law enforcement agencies, passenger vessel operators, pilot associations, fire departments, and other operators worldwide.

Gov. John Bel Edwards’ business roundtable meetings are continuing across the state and he has about three remaining on his schedule.

But to what end? What will come of this process?

For more than a month the governor has been gathering with CEOs and company representatives to hear what they have to say about next year’s “fiscal cliff,” as Edwards calls it. It’s a budget shortfall expected to eclipse $1 billion.

According to a spokesperson, Edwards’ office is expected to compile the information gleaned from these meetings and share it with lawmakers and others sometime in late October. Supporters suspect that includes sharing a few ideas of his own that bubbled to the surface during this process.

Those who have taken part in the meetings across the state say Edwards has been more of a listener and hasn’t gone as far as to roll out any kind of legislative plan. But in nearly all of the gatherings there has been vocal support for returning to the recommendations made last year by a special budget and tax task force.

While Edwards has been touring the state so has Speaker Taylor Barras, R-New Iberia, who has been meeting with lawmakers. The speaker and the governor actually held their second meeting last week to discuss the 2018 legislative year.

Barras told the Associated Press recently that he hopes to have a plan together by January that the House can get behind.

The governor’s supporters, however, are concerned about that timeline. They worry a new plan revealed at the top of the year won’t allow enough time to organize a special session before the regular session — an option the governor has said he will not pursue unless the House can show a path forward.

State GOP has big
vote next meeting

The Republican State Central Committee has canceled its meeting for the fourth quarter of 2017, which means the next time it gathers it will vote on the new chairman of the party.

The RSCC is the party’s guiding body, and it last selected GOP Chairman Roger Villere for the top job. Villere, though, is stepping down.

The election scheduled for March of next year and the campaigning has already started. State Rep. Julie Emerson of Carencro is the latest to announce for the position, but she’s definitely not alone.

Also actively campaigning for the chair gig are longtime party activist Charlie Buckels of Lafayette, New Orleans attorney Louis Gurvich and Baton Rouge consultant Scott Wilfong. Other names to watch as possible late entries include state Rep. Barry Ivey of Central and Baton
Rouge-area businessmen Scott McKnight and Derek Babcock.

How will the surplus be spent?

Tax collections performed better than expected last fiscal year, which ended June 30, and the state is now sitting on a $140 million surplus.
It’s a rare treat for the state to have extra money to spend, but it can only be used for certain one-time expenses such as coastal infrastructure projects, construction and debt payments.
Additionally, 10 percent overall must be used on debt payments and 25 percent is redirected to the so-called Rainy Day Fund, which is the state’s emergency savings account.
Lawmakers used $99 million from the fund in February and House Speaker Taylor Barras, R-New Iberia, wants to put the surplus into the account. Americans for Prosperity’s Louisiana chapter is on the same page and has been calling on state officials to “replenish the Rainy Day Fund.
Senate President John Alario, R-Westwego, has urged patience and recommended that the administration and Legislature take some time to make the right decision.
Gov. John Bel Edwards has said he’s open to different ideas.

Political History: Share Our
Wealth, post-Kingfish

This feature recently reflected on the death of Huey P. Long, so it’s only natural to move forward with that storyline and explore what happened to the Kingfish’s Share Our Wealth program.

As you can imagine, Long’s ambitious national political organization fell a little flat, almost immediately, without its lead architect and presidential candidate.

Here’s an account from The Long Legacy Project, which has a digital hub at HueyLong.com:

“Following Huey Long’s death, the political heirs to his national Share Our Wealth movement agreed to support Franklin Roosevelt in the 1936 election in exchange for political favors. Called ‘The Second Louisiana Purchase’ by political observers, Roosevelt halted federal investigations into Long’s political machine and millions of federal dollars were funneled to Louisiana, which had previously received little aid while Long challenged Roosevelt. Most of the money was pocketed by public officials and businessmen in a wave of corruption known nationally as ‘The Louisiana Scandals.’ Long’s political adversaries sought to posthumously link Long to the corruption of his successors. Without a committed leader, the national Share Our Wealth movement lost its momentum, and the political muscle of millions of Share Our Wealth club members was squandered.”

They said it
“We don’t owe you free college for being average.”
—Former Rep. Vic Stelly, on TOPS, to the Kiwanis Club of South Lake Charles, in The American Press
For more Louisiana political news, visit www.LaPolitics.com or follow Jeremy Alford on Twitter @LaPoliticsNow.

Desmon Washington and Daylon Richards combined on big plays to propel the West St. Mary Wolfpack to an 18-8 win over the Franklin High School Hornets in the renewing of the Fire on the Bayou contest Friday at J. C. Dry Stadium.
Washington, who gave the Wolfpack a 6-0 lead on a 47-yard touchdown run, helped the Wolfpack preserve the victory after Franklin rallied for an 8-6 lead in the final period on his 75-yard kickoff return.
Richards put the Wolfpack ahead to stay with a nifty 56-yard catch-and-run touchdown late in the fourth period.
“This was a long overdue win of which was well-deserved and much-needed,” West St. Mary Head Coach Cliff Armelin said. “This was a tough win because whenever you play Franklin in a rivalry game, you must match their intensity and we were able to do that.”
The win enabled the West St. Mary Wolfpack to take possession of the Fire on the Bayou trophy for the 2017 season and bragging rights for one year.
During the trophy presentation, Franklin High Principal Tybus Burdett along with West St. Mary Principal Dr. Derrick White spoke briefly while West St. Mary receiver Daylon Richards proudly held the Fire on the Bayou trophy as both teams kneeled.
West St. Mary (1-3, 1-0) held onto a narrow 6-0 lead early in the second quarter on Washington’s 47-yard touchdown run in the renewing of the friendly rivalry.
Franklin (0-4, 0-1) fought back for an 8-6 lead in the fourth quarter of the hotly-contested game when wide receiver Isreal Washington caught a 28-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Zariq Perry. One play later, Perry made good on the two-point conversion, giving Franklin an 8-6 lead with 11:02 left to play.
Franklin’s lead was short-lived as Washington brought back the ensuing kickoff 75 yards for a touchdown, giving the Wolfpack a 12-8 advantage.
A short time later, Richards was on the receiving end of the 56-yard aerial strike from WSM quarterback Taylun Druilhet, sending the Wolfpack home with the Fire on the Bayou Trophy along with a 1-0 District 7-2A record and the first win of the season.
Washington led the Wolfpack with 13 carries for 97 yards with one rushing touchdown along with the 75-yard kickoff return.
Franklin’s Jairus Boyd rushed 15 times for 75 yards while teammate Malik King finished with 4 carries for 34 yards.
Druilhet connected on 9 of 17 passes for 139 yards and no interceptions. Perry hit on 8 of 19 passes for 73 yards and no interceptions.
Richard led WSM in receiving with 5 catches for 81 yards with one TD. Washington hauled in three catches for 51 yards and 1 TD for Franklin.
Defensively, the West St. Mary Wolfpack strung together some impressive numbers on the night: Kejuan Biggles, 6 tackles; Anthony Shields, 3 tackles, 1 sack; Desmon Washington, 5 tackles, 1 sack; Jamiyon Bolden, 2 tackles, 1 fumble forced; Daylon Richard, 2 tackles; Jacyric Robertson, 10 tackles; Dondre Johnson, 5 tackles, 1 sack; Trey Biggles, 4 tackles, 1 sack; A’Zhylon Brown, 1 tackle, E.J. Davis, 4 tackles; Tristan Harris, 1 tackle, Ray Johnson, 4 tackles and Kobe Phillips, 3 tackles.
Franklin will continue District 7-2A action on the road at Loreauville on Friday.
West St. Mary will play host to the Delcambre Panthers for homecoming on Friday in District 7-2A play.

St. Mary Parish Sheriff Mark Hebert reported the following arrests:
Shane Bernauer, 35, of 137 Big Bear Lane, Franklin, was arrested Tuesday at 9:44 a.m. on charges of operating a vehicle with a suspended driver’s license, failure to obey traffic signs and a warrant for failure to appear on the charges of direct contempt, careless operation of a motor vehicle and failure to honor written promise to appear.
A deputy observed a vehicle commit a traffic violation on US 90 in Patterson and conducted a traffic stop. The deputy spoke with the driver, Bernauer, and learned that he was operating the vehicle with a suspended license and had an active warrant for his arrest. Bernauer was released on a summons.
Jaron Alexander, 24, of 1130 La. 83, Lot #1, Franklin, was arrested Tuesday at 1:13 p.m. on a warrant for failure to appear on the charge of unlawful use of an ID to gain access to a gaming establishment. Alexander turned himself in at the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center. He was released on a $2,000 bond.
Aerielle Henderson, 20, of 109 Chirpy Lane, Amelia, was arrested Tuesday at 10:05 p.m. on the charge of simple battery.
Brooke Rulf, of 227 Murial St., Bayou L’Ourse, was arrested Tuesday at 8:27 p.m. on charges of simple battery.
A deputy investigating a complaint of a battery spoke with the subjects involved and found evidence that Henderson and Rulf struck each other during an argument outside of a business in Amelia. Rulf was transported to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center for booking. Henderson turned herself in at the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center. Both were released on $2,500 bonds.
Roger Grow, 49, of 1028 River Road, Berwick, was arrested Tuesday at 1:45 p.m. on a warrant for charges of possession of Schedule II methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.
On Sept. 20, detectives with the Narcotics Section conducted a search warrant at Grow’s residence and located a small amount of methamphetamine and various items of drug paraphernalia. Detectives collected evidence that the methamphetamine and paraphernalia belonged to Grow. Grow was already incarcerated at the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center on other charges when a correctional officer was informed of the active warrant. No bail is set.
Franklin Police Chief Sabria McGuire reported the following arrest:
Irvin Ledet Sr., 43, of Rod Lane, Baldwin, was arrested Tuesday at 10:43 a.m. on the charge of video voyeurism. Ledet was booked, processed, and released on a $1,000 bond.