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Another 'super reef' is under construction in the Gulf

Thu, 12/26/2024 - 9:30am

Coastal Conservation Association’s REEF Louisiana Program, in partnership with Chevron, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Danos, and Reefmaker-Walter Marine, completed construction on the South Timbalier Block 86 Reef last week. 
The new reef at South Tim 86 consists of 36 “Super Reefs” designed by Reefmaker. On this project, twelve 15ft pyramids weighing in at over 30,000 pounds a piece and 24 8-foot pyramids at just over 6,000 pounds apiece was placed on the sea floor. These “Super Reefs” are pyramid-shaped structures composed of concrete, steel rebar and limestone rocks that mimic natural reefs and support many varieties of marine life, making them a perfect fisheries habitat material.
This is the second CCA REEF Louisiana project using “Super Reef” materials, the first being South Timbalier 63, constructed in October.  
 “CCA Louisiana and its REEF Louisiana program reached another milestone at South Timbalier Block 86 with their 54th artificial reef,” said John Walther, CCA’s VP of Habitat. “Replacing habitat lost to natural and manmade causes is one of our top priorities to preserve our marine resources. Several more artificial reef projects are already being scheduled for 2025.”
 Projects like these are made possible by a collaborative effort of private partners, government agencies and CCA Louisiana.
 “We are excited to play a role in another great project with CCA,” said Alex Cheramie, Chevron Corporate Affairs. “These artificial reefs not only give the ecosystem what it needs to thrive but also provides the anglers of Louisiana what they cherish.”
 CCA Executive Vice President of Development, Rad Trascher, was on hand as well and expressed appreciation for the partnerships that led to this accomplishment.
 “Christmas came early this year thanks to Chevron and our other great partners,” said Trascher. “This gift will be a gift that keeps on giving for generations to come.”
 Nick LeBlanc, Danos’ Coastal Restoration Operations Manager was also in attendance and explained Danos’ role and how the materials will be utilized.
 “Danos is proud to partner with CCA Louisiana, Chevron, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, and Reef Maker to bring a new snapper reef to Louisiana at ST86,” LeBlanc said. “Together, we’re creating a lasting habitat that supports healthy snapper fisheries for families to enjoy for generations.”
 In addition to Chevron and Danos, funding for the South Timbalier 86 Reef comes from CCA’s REEF Louisiana Program along with matching funds provided by LDWF’s Artificial Reef Trust Fund.
LDWF’s Reef Coordinator Mike McDonough made the trip to the construction site.
“Wildlife and Fisheries is excited to be finishing this new reef site just in time for Christmas. South Timbalier 86 is highly accessible and will provide key habitat for Red Snapper and other important species.
"Key in our ability to get this project done is partnership; thanks again to CCA Louisiana, Chevron, Danos Construction, and Reefmaker,” said McDonough.
 The South Timbalier 86 Reef is the 54th unique artificial reef that CCA Louisiana has built overall, and the 6th completed this year. Earlier this year, CCA competed the Pelican Island Reef near Fourchon, the Ted Beaullieu Sr. Reef expansion in SMI 233, the West Cameron 82 reef south of Big Lake, the Raising Cane’s Hotel Sid reef near Grand Isle and South Timbalier 63 in South Timbalier Block 63. 
CCA expects to complete reefs at South Timbalier 165, Bodwin’s Point near Cocodrie, and Goose Point in Lake Pontchartrain after the first of the year. REEF Louisiana has roughly 8 more reef projects planned in 2025.
CCA’s REEF Louisiana Program is an initiative aimed at replacing vital fisheries habitat which has been lost, such as oil and gas platforms being removed. This is a collaborative effort between private partners, government agencies and a non-profit organization. Over the years, CCA has used items such as these Super Reefs, pieces of decommissioned oil and gas platforms, highway barriers, recycled structural concrete and crushed concrete, to rebuild fisheries habitat.
 Coordinates for South Timbalier 86 will be published on ccalouisiana.com once construction is completed.  For more information about this reef or CCA Louisiana’s REEF Louisiana Program, contact Rad Trascher at 225-952-9200.

Jim Bradshaw: Resolve to record long memories in 2025

Thu, 12/26/2024 - 9:21am

 Whatever gift for storytelling that I may have began when I was quite young, sitting at my grandfather Gallaugher’s knee. My ears, and those of all of his grandchildren, would perk up when he said, “I remember the time when …” and begin to tell a tale.
He was a great storyteller, and told true stories — at least true to his memory — about our family and about the times, places, and circumstances that created our particular history. As he began to age, I realized that he was the sole depository of a wealth of information about the dry names on our genealogical chart, and that all that he knew would be lost — along with his way of storytelling — with his death.
That’s why I got out the tape recorder — this was in the days before all sorts of other recording devices were in every home — and interviewed him for several hours. It was one of the most satisfying, and sometimes surprising, things that I have done, and led me to sit down with my grandmother, mom and dad, aunts and uncles, and older neighbors to capture their lives and memories on tape.
Some of their stories were funny, some of them not so. You could feel the fear and worry in my grandmother’s recollections of the days during World War II when her boys were in faraway and dangerous places. They came home unhurt, but that didn’t change the worry while they were gone. My grandfather had his own recollections of World War I.
Sometimes I got insights that I would have never had without these interviews. For example, I was very young when my grandfather Bradshaw died and I have no real recollection of him. I know that he came to Louisiana from England as a young man, met and married a Cajun girl, and ran the family farm near Vinton in Calcasieu Parish.
I’d assumed that he spoke with the same Texas twang as most of the people of the Calcasieu prairies, so it surprised me when my aunt told me, “You know, I think lots of people thought Poppa was smarter than he was, just because he had that British accent.”
Of course he had a British accent! He was a grown man when he came to the United States. But I’d never thought of it, and that changed my idea of the man I knew only from a few old letters, a brief obituary, and a photo of a fellow with a handlebar mustache.
Those early interviews also helped me learn an important and satisfying part of my trade. Over the years, I have had the opportunity to tape extended interviews with some of south Louisiana’s leaders and, even more gratifying, helped to gather oral histories from the dying generation of World War II veterans, many of whom told their amazing stories for the first time.
Most of my tapes were destroyed in a house fire some years ago, but I still remember most of the stories and am still influenced by them.
My grandfather Gallaugher was in his early 90s when I interviewed him, but was still as sharp as a tack. One of my first questions to him as we sat in the living room of the old family home on the Lake Charles lake bank was, “Have you lived here all your life?”
His quick answer: “Not yet.”
It was a good answer. He lived another five or six years and was almost 100 when he died. My parents and aunts and uncles are also gone. But before they left, they helped turn dry genealogical charts into a gallery of real people who led full and remembered lives, and helped bring alive for me the history of my family and the place where I grew up.
Make it your resolution this year that you are going to sit down and talk with your parents, grandparents, and older family members to listen to their stories, ask them questions. You’ll find out not only more about who they are, but more about who you are.
Do it now because, before you realize it, you’ll be the older person who is holder of old memories and stories to pass on.
You can contact Jim Bradshaw at jimbradshaw4321@gmail.com or P.O. Box 1121, Washington LA 70589.

Public has doubts about declining crime stats

Thu, 12/26/2024 - 9:19am
JACOB MATHEWS, The Center Square

In Louisiana, violent and property crime numbers across the state have dropped from recent years.
Despite this, a survey earlier this year from the Manship School at LSU found that 72% of Louisiana residents say the amount of crime has increased in the past few years, with 41% saying crime is increasing in their local communities.
Although most Louisiana residents were not victims of crime over the past year, most personally know someone who was the victim of property crime, 58%, and many personally know someone who was attacked or threatened with violence, 44%.
The Center Square previously reported that, according to the FBI’s uniform crime reporting database, Bossier, Caddo, Ouachita, Orleans and East Baton Rouge parishes are all seeing downward trends in crime.
Additionally, New Orleans, which is commonly referred to as the murder capitol of the world, has seen a 38% decrease in murders, with police logging 180 this year. That number was as high as 265 at the end of the year in 2022, which was historically high even for the Big Easy.
In September, New Orleans had the fewest fatal and non-fatal shootings on record since 2010, thanks to an 18-day murder-free streak.
Murders aren’t the only crime subsiding. According to the New Orleans city council crime dashboard auto theft is down 48%, vehicle burglary is down 47%, and carjacking is down 42%, all of which were huge issues in 2023.
Despite crime decreasing in almost every metric across the state, the perception of high levels of crime are still there. That could be because nationally, the Pelican State still has work to do.
According to the Shreveport Times, a WalletHub report listed Louisiana as 50th in murders per capita and 46th in assaults per capita in 2024. According to Safe and Sound Security, Louisiana’s violent crime rate of 6.29 far exceeds the national median, which is 3.80 per 1,000 residents.
Louisiana’s property crime rate of 27.48 per 1,000 residents in 2024 also surpassed the national median at 19.54 per 1,000 residents.
The most dangerous cities to no surprise are New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Shreveport, despite all three police departments reporting success in lower incident numbers.
It is noteworthy that the special crime session earlier this year which saw dozens of bills passed to curve the crime issue which Gov. Jeff Landry ran on in 2023 might have had an effect on the recent crime drop.
However, these numbers have shown consistent decreases since 2022, before his election, showing the unexplained correction in the state’s errored ways may be due to a return to normalcy after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Parish Council looks at relationships with boards, commissions

Wed, 12/25/2024 - 12:02pm

A year that started with a series of acrimonious debates among St. Mary Parish Council members ended Dec. 18 with warm Christmas greetings, and a focus on the relationship between parish government and special purpose boards and commissions.
The council will even talk about a subject some local business leaders have been advocating for years: consolidating at least a portion of the patchwork of districts that provide fire protection, water and sewer service, recreation, and more.
The early 2024 arguments were largely over parish finances that new Parish President Sam Jones said were overburdened by debt.
But “when we had our differences,” Jones said at 2024’s last regular meeting, “we always ended up eating at The Forest.”
Several items on the Dec. 18 agenda dealt with the special district boards, relations with which have been occasionally contentious in 2024.
All the members of one district and four of five members of another resigned over the course of the year. The consolidation of drainage districts serving Morgan City and Amelia has been a sore spot, especially after Morgan City was overwhelmed by heavy rain during Hurricane Francine. And cash reserves held by some districts have become an issue as the overall parish budget came under scrutiny.
Council Chair Gwendolyn Hidalgo of Bayou Vista and Vice Chair Dr. Kristi Prejeant Rink of Centerville put an item on the meeting agenda calling for discussion about the possible consolidation of special purpose districts. The council will take up that issue in the new year.
Chief Administrative Officer Paul Governale said the number of districts in St. Mary is at 51 when advisory boards are included.
Rink asked for information about the districts compiled by a parish employee a few years ago.
Said Rink: “At least it’ll give us the opportunity to see what he collected and see what other information we need to update and re-collect to see if we have an appropriate number or we need to consolidate some altogether and the appropriate way to do it.”
In a related matter, Councilman J Ina of Franklin introduced an ordinance that would require training for members of boards and commissions. Ina has also pushed for a revamping of the parish government’s personnel policies and its organizational chart.
A district-related matter came up again when Councilman David Hill of Bayou Vista sought about $13,600 for a fire alarm system for Recreation District No. 3. Hill asked for the funding to be disbursed from the 3/10th-cent sales tax fund for Wards 5 and 8.
Jones asked for information about the district’s finances, including the availability of $1 million in district funds. Some councilmen objected, saying they thought the spending from the fund was supposed to be blocked as part of budget belt-tightening.
The measure passed by a 7-3 vote with Rink abstaining. Voting no were Les Rulf of Patterson, Dean Adams of Morgan City and Rodney Olander of Franklin.
Adams wanted a discussion on whether district tax propositions should appear on primary or general election ballots.
The Dec. 7 general election ballot in St. Mary contained seven tax propositions, all of which passed. Two were new public safety taxes in Franklin and Baldwin, and three were School Board maintenance district renewals, none of which are under the authority of the parish government.
The ballot also included a property tax renewal for Consolidated Gravity Drainage District No. 1 and a new 9-mill property tax for Hospital Service District No. 2 for physical plant upgrades at the district-owned hospital now operating as Ochsner St. Mary in Morgan City.
Local governments often place tax propositions on general election ballots, which tend to have lower turnouts than primaries, especially during presidential and gubernatorial election years.
And Adams told the council that some of his constituents didn’t like that fact Dec. 7, when the turnout was only about 16%.
“I don’t know if you all got complaints,” Adams said, “but that’s all I heard.”
Councilman Patrick Hebert of Berwick noted that election deadlines can require local governments to call for elections up to a year in advance for a primary, but the deadlines for general elections are easier to meet.
The council took no immediate action on Adams’ agenda item.
Also Dec. 18:
—The council passed a resolution passing along an increase in trash pickup fees in the unincorporated parish. The rate for Pelican Waste pickup will be $23.32 per month per household, up from $22.80.
—The council passed a resolution of respect for Bayou Vista attorney and two-term Councilman Robert “Scott” Ramsey, who died Dec. 7.

Public notices for Dec. 25, 2024

Wed, 12/25/2024 - 6:00am

PUBLIC NOTICE
ST. MARY
PARISH RECREATION
DISTRICT #3
BAYOU VISTA COMMUNITY CENTER
1333 BELLVIEW STREET
P.O. BOX 635
PATTERSON, LA 70392
985-395-6552
The Board of Commissioners of the St. Mary Parish Recreation District #3 met in regular session on Monday, November 18, 2024, at 5:30 p.m. in the meeting room at the Bayou Vista Community Center.
Members Present: Brian Head – Chairman, Lane Boudreaux – Vice Chairman, Dr. Jeffery Fitter, Eddie Gay, Calvin Johnson, Rachel Kidder
Members Absent: Javon Charles
Employees of the District Present: Mark Richard – Facilities Manager, Angie Guillotte – Office Manager, Kim Willoughby – Activities Director
Secretary: Tyler Lambert
Mr. Head called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. Everyone present stood for the pledge of allegiance.
Board members reviewed the minutes from the November meeting. Mrs. Kidder motioned to accept the minutes as written. Dr. Fitter made a second to the motion. All were in favor and the motion carried.
Board members reviewed the ac- counts payable re- port and the monthly budget comparison report. Mr. Gay made a motion to accept the report as is and pay the bills. Mr. Johnson made a second to the motion. All were in favor and the motion carried.
Mrs. Guillotte presented the Community Center report and updated the board on the rental activity for the month of November.
Facility Manager, Mark Richard, gave the manager/maintenance re- port. He updated the board on the progress of updating the fire alarm system at the Community Center.
In old business, the board discussed approval of event coordinator time from the Harvest Festival and considered the source of payment. After discussion, a motion was made by Mr. Johnson to pay Stacey Wright via 1099-NEC. A second to the motion was made by Dr. Fitter. All were favor and the motion carried.
A motion was then made by Mr. Gay to pay Stacey Wright for her 75:15 worked at a rate of $10.00/hour. A second to the motion was made by Mr. Boudreaux. All were in favor and the motion carried.
Moving to new business, Activities Director, Kim Willoughby, re- quested that the board consider purchasing sports equipment to be used at the Community Center. A motion was made by Dr. Fitter to grant Mrs. Willoughby a $5,000.00 budget to purchase the necessary equipment. A second to the motion was made by Mr. Boudreaux.
The board discussed updating rental prices for the batting cages and the baseball/softball fields. After much discussion, a motion was made by Mr. Gay for the approval of increasing the walk-in price for a batting cage rental and for batting cage memberships to be sold by the Community Center. Memberships will be on a six-month basis (January-June and July-December) and will cost $60.00. Members will receive one (1) slotted one-hour time slot, per week, for the six-month membership. Walk in price for a batting cage rental will be $5.00/hour. Baseball/softball field rentals will be $10.00/hour with an additional $10.00/hour for the use of the lights. A second to the motion was made by Mr. Johnson. All were in favor and the motion carried.
Due to the Christmas holidays, the board discussed the possibility of moving the December meeting from December 23, 2024, to December 16, 2024. A motion to accept this change was made by Mrs. Kidder with a second coming from Mr. Gay. All were in favor and the motion carried.
With no further business to discuss, a motion to adjourn was made by Mr. Gay. A second was made by Dr. Fitter. All were in favor. The motion carried and the meeting was adjourned.
(s) Brian Head
Brian Head,
Chairman
(s) Tyler Lambert
Tyler Lambert,
Secretary
Adv. Dec. 25, 2024

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PUBLIC NOTICE
Recreation District No. 4 of the Parish of St. Mary
Minutes of
Meeting
November 19, 2024
Members Present: William Miller, LaGenia Bradford, Vincent Byrd, Edward Austin, Terreance Johnson
Members Ab- sent: None
Others Present: Jerry Boyles, Barry Dufrene, Gabrille Gil, Mayor Rodney Grogan
Mr. Miller open-ed the regular meeting leading the Board in the pledge of allegiance.
Mr. Miller welcomed Mayor Grogan to the meeting. Mayor Grogan discussed with the Board the City stopping funding to help defray the cost of operating the District’s building due to a lack of documentation between the City and the District although this has been the City’s practice of doing so since August 2008. He also stated the City will continue to help with ex- penses for recreation programs in the District once the budget is adopted. Mr. Miller thanked Mayor Grogan for attending the meeting.
The minutes of the regular meeting held on October 16, 2024 were reviewed. Mrs. Bradford made a motion to accept the minutes. Mr. Austin seconded the motion. The motion passed.
Mr. Dufrene presented and re- viewed the financial statements presented to the Board. A motion to accept the report and pay outstanding invoices was made by Mr. Byrd and seconded by Mrs. Bradford. The motion passed.
Mr. Boyles presented his report to the Board. Some of the tables and chairs will need to be replaced. The trees surrounding the District’s property will be trimmed. He is gathering information on replacing the portable outdoor storage building destroyed in the hurricane. There are lights in the parking lot that need to be replaced. This project will be put on hold for now.
With there being no other business to discuss, a motion to adjourn was made by Mr. Byrd and seconded by Mrs. Bradford. The motion passed.
________________
William Miller
Chairperson
________________
Gabrielle Gil
Secretary
Treasurer
Adv. Dec. 25, 2024

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PUBLIC NOTICE
NOTICE OF INTRODUCTION
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the following entitled ordinance was introduced at a meeting of the St. Mary Parish Council, State of Louisiana (the “Parish Council”), on Wednesday, December 18, 2024, and laid over for publication of notice:
PROPOSED ORDINANCE
An Ordinance amending and re- enacting Section I of Ordinance No. 2152, establishing training for board members.
NOTICE IS HEREBY FURTHER GIVEN that the St. Mary Parish Council will meet on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, at five-fifty (5:50) o’clock p.m. at the Parish Council Room of the Courthouse, Franklin, Louisiana, at which time there will be a public hearing on the adoption of the aforesaid ordinances.
/s/ Gwendolyn L. Hidalgo
CHAIRPERSON OF THE
COUNCIL
ST. MARY PARISH COUNCIL
/s/ Lisa C. Morgan
CLERK OF THE COUNCIL
ST. MARY PARISH COUNCIL
Adv. Dec. 25, 2024

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PUBLIC NOTICE
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN by the St. Mary Parish Council in accordance with law that a vacancy exists on the Board of Commissioners of the Atchafalaya Golf Course Commission.
The St. Mary Parish Council will receive applications for the filling of this vacancy from this date until January 16, 2025, at Noon.
Qualifications for submitting of an application will be in compliance with Item 4. of Ordinance No. 1592.
Applications may be mailed or personally submitted Monday- Thursday between the hours of 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. till noon on Friday to Lisa C. Morgan, Clerk of the Council, Fifth Floor Courthouse, Franklin, Louisiana 70538.
The St. Mary Parish Council will meet in regular session on January 22, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. in the Council Meeting Room, Fifth Floor Courthouse, Franklin, Louisiana to fill this vacancy.
Adv. Dec. 25, 2024 and Jan. 8, 2025

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PUBLIC NOTICE
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN by the St. Mary Parish Council in accordance with law that a vacancy exists on the Board of Commissioners of Wards 5 and 8 Joint Sewer Commission.
The St. Mary Parish Council will receive applications for the filling of this vacancy from this date until January 16, 2025, at Noon.
Qualifications for submitting of an application will be in compliance with Article IV - Creation of Joint Commission of the Intergovernmental Agreement for the Construction, Operation and Maintenance of Sanitary Sewerage Collection and Treatment Facilities Wards 5 and 8 dated
May 1983.
Applications may be mailed or personally submitted Monday- Thursday between the hours of 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. till noon on Friday to Lisa C. Morgan, Clerk of the Council, Fifth Floor Courthouse, Franklin, Louisiana 70538.
The St. Mary Parish Council will meet in regular session on January 22, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. in the Council Meeting Room, Fifth Floor Courthouse, Franklin, Louisiana to fill this vacancy.
Adv. Dec. 25, 2024, and Jan. 8, 2025

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PUBLIC NOTICE
ST. MARY
PARISH 9-1-1 COMMUNICATIONS
DISTRICT
Regular Board Meeting
1200 David Drive,
Building B
Morgan City, LA 70380
November 21, 2024
1:00 P.M.
Chairman, Mr. Ed Smith opened the November 21, 2024, regular meeting with the roll call. Mr. Ed Smith, Mr. Matt Mayon, Mr. Jimmy Broussard, Mr. Duval Arthur, III, Mr. Garrett Grogan, and Mr. Justin Martin were in attendance. Mr. Scott Verret did not attend.
Mr. Mayon made a motion to dispense with the reading of and to accept the October 2024 minutes. Mr. Broussard seconded the motion. All members were in favor and the motion carried.
Public Comment: none
The income statement for October 2024 was $98,383.88. Mr. Mayon made a motion to accept the income statement. Mr. Grogan seconded the motion. All members were in favor and the motion carried.
The expense statement for October 2024 was $67,202.99. Mr. Mayon made a motion to accept the expense statement. Mr. Grogan seconded the motion. All members were in favor and the motion carried.
A budget vs actual comparison was provided to the board for review.
Old Business: None
New Business: None
Director Up- dates:
Budget and in- surance will be on the agenda next month.
One new em- ployee was hired.
The parish was contacted to re- move old equipment from the storage room. Hard drives will be destroyed before computers are re- moved.
Members were reminded to complete the required annual ethics, sexual harassment and cybersecurity training courses.
The parish in- stalled new LED lights throughout the center. Members briefly discussed various proposed upgrades such as new exterior doors and installation of a safe room.
General Discussion: None
Adjournment: Mr. Broussard made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Mr. Martin seconded the motion. All members were in favor and the motion carried.
Approved:
________
Mr. Ed. Smith,
Chairman
Attest:
Charlette
Angeron,
Director
Adv. Dec. 25, 2024

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PUBLIC NOTICE
2025 Budget
Notice
The St. Mary Parish 911 Communications District held a public meeting on December 19, 2024.
The meeting was held to ap- prove the 2025 budget. The members approved the budget by unanimous consent.
Charlette Angeron
Director
Adv. Dec. 25, 2024

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PUBLIC NOTICE
NOTICE TO RELOCATE AN EXISTING OFFICE
In the matter of the relocation of the Main Office of M C Bank, Member FDIC.
In accordance with the laws of the State of Louisiana and with particular reference to the provisions of Title 6 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, and the Rules of the Office of Financial Institutions, Notice is hereby given that M C Bank, whose Main Office and domicile is located in Morgan City, St. Mary Parish, Louisiana, is applying for a Certificate of Authority from the Louisiana Commissioner of Fin- ancial Institutions to relocate its Main Office from 1201 Brashear Avenue, Morgan City, St. Mary Parish, to 1204 Greenwood Street, Morgan City, St. Mary Parish, Louisiana, a distance of 0.2 miles from its present location.
Any person wishing to comment on this application may file his or her comments, in writing, with the Louisiana Office of Financial Institutions, Post Office Box 94095, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 70804-9095. The Office of Financial Institutions is not re- quired to consider any comments re- ceived more than 30 days after the date of publication of this Notice. The Public Section of this application will be available at the Office of Financial Institutions for public inspection during the regular business hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:40 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Further, an application to relocate this office has been filed with the FDIC. Any person wishing to comment on this application may file his or her comments in writing with the regional director of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation at the appropriate FDIC office, Dallas Regional Office, 600 North Pearl Street, Suite 700, Dallas, Texas 75201 not later than January 17, 2025. The non-confidential portions of the application are on file at the appropriate FDIC office and are available for public inspection dur-ing regular business hours. Photocopies of the nonconfidential portion of the application file will be made available upon request.
Adv. Dec. 25, 2024, and Jan. 1, 2025

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ELDA PHILOMINE PERCLE SOLAR

Tue, 12/24/2024 - 10:30am

Elda Philomine Percle Solar, a longtime resident of Morgan City, died Friday, Dec. 20, 2024, at the age of 98.
She is survived by two sons, Willis Guillotte Sr. of Pierre Part and Dewilder “Dede” Solar of Morgan City; her brother, Randolph Percle of Morgan City ;her sister, Shirley Couvillier of Morgan City; 18 grandchildren, 37 great grandchildren, numerous great-great grandchildren and one great-great-great grandchild on the way.
She was preceded in death by a husband, a son, two daughters, two brothers, two sisters, and her parents.
Visitation and remembrance were observed Monday, Dec. 23, from 9 a.m. until time of services, which began which began at 1p,m. at Hargrave Funeral Home. Following services, she was laid to rest in the Morgan City Cemetery.

JANET COLEMAN

Tue, 12/24/2024 - 10:29am

Arrangements are pending for Janet Fangue Coleman, 84, who died Friday, Dec. 20, 2024, at her home in Patterson. 
View the obituary and sign guestbook online at www.mourning.com
 Martin & Castille Funeral Home of Lafayette is in charge of arrangements.

New class of Founding Chefs named at Scout Dinner

Tue, 12/24/2024 - 10:27am

Submitted photo
The local Scouting organization periodically names new members of Founding Chefs of Chitimacha Scouting from among those who work on the annual Scout Dinner fundraiser. This year, at the Dec. 10 dinner at the St. Mary Senior Center (the AARP building), four men donned their chef hats as the Class of 2024: from left, Bobby Cline, Louis Tamporello, Paul Rappmundt and Scott
Melancon. The Scout Dinner dates to the 1950s and is the oldest fundraiser in the 100-year-old Evangeline Area Boy Scout Council.

Report: Tax reforms head off 'fiscal cliff'

Tue, 12/24/2024 - 10:23am
NOLAN McKENDRY, The Center Square

Louisiana lawmakers and Gov. Jeff Landry have averted a looming fiscal crisis through a sweeping tax reform package passed during November's special legislative session, according to the Louisiana Public Affairs Research Council.
The measures will eliminate a nearly $400 million budget shortfall projected for the 2025-26 fiscal year, according to updated revenue forecasts from the state’s Revenue Estimating Conference.
“This tax code is bloated. This tax code is broken, this tax code is incredibly out of date. And this tax code holding us back,” Landry said in his address to the House of Representatives. “It has been patched together with duct tape and bubblegum and moves us from one fiscal cliff to the other.”
The REC, which met Thursday, confirmed the tax overhaul will generate sufficient revenue to stabilize Louisiana’s finances. The package introduces significant changes, including lower and flattened income tax rates, higher sales taxes, and the elimination of the corporate franchise tax.
Effective Jan. 1, the state's individual income tax will shift from a progressive system to a flat 3% rate, coupled with increased standard deductions. Corporate income tax rates will flatten to 5.5%, and businesses will receive a new $20,000 standard deduction. Additionally, the corporate franchise tax will be phased out by 2026.
To offset these cuts, lawmakers raised the state sales tax from 4.45% to 5%, extended sales taxes to digital goods and services, and capped or eliminated various tax credits. A temporary diversion of $280 million annually from vehicle sales taxes "previously earmarked for infrastructure projects" will fund general government operations for two years.
The REC projects these measures will stabilize the state's general fund at around $12 billion annually through 2027.
With the new revenue estimates, lawmakers have $447 million more to allocate in the upcoming budget year, avoiding the need for drastic cuts to education, health care or public safety. They also received an additional $29.4 million in this year's budget, providing some immediate relief.
The Landry administration will use the updated projections to craft its budget proposal for the 2025-26 fiscal year, due to lawmakers by February 28.
Critics contend the reforms disproportionately benefit wealthier individuals and corporations while shifting the tax burden onto lower-income residents through higher sales taxes.
The sales tax hike was made behind closed doors in the 11th hour in the final 48 hours of the session.
The tax package aligns with a proposed rewrite of Article VII of Louisiana's Constitution, which includes provisions for paying down retirement debt, consolidating state savings accounts and funding permanent teacher pay raises.

La. population growing after years of decline

Tue, 12/24/2024 - 10:22am
NOLAN McKENDRY, The Center Square

After years of population decline, Louisiana is projected to see an increase in its population for the first time since 2020, according to the latest U.S. Census Bureau data.
The state’s population has grown by estimates to nearly 4.6 million in 2024, up from 4.59 million in 2023.
The projected growth offers a reprieve following a significant downward trend, with the state losing more than 84,000 residents since 2020. Louisiana’s population reached a high of 4.65 million in 2020 but steadily declined over the following years.
Population since 2020
2020: 4,652,301
2021: 4,627,971
2022: 4,593,687
2023: 4,588,071
2024: 4,597,740
While the state’s population saw growth in six of the 12 years between 2010 and 2022, its largest annual decline occurred between 2021 and 2022, when it fell by 0.8%. Overall, Louisiana’s population grew by an average of 0.1% annually during that timeframe.
The recent population decline was felt statewide, with central and northeast Louisiana experiencing notable losses.
Caddo Parish alone saw its population drop by more than 11,000 people in the past three years. Plaquemines Parish suffered the largest decline in migration, losing 2.39% of its population and $16 million in adjusted gross income.
However, some southeastern parishes, including East Baton Rouge, Ascension, and Livingston, bucked the trend and experienced growth.
A 2021-2022 migration study by the Tax Foundation ranked Louisiana 44th worst in the nation for population changes attributable to interstate migration.
The state saw a net loss of 26,000 residents, or 0.57% of its population, during that time. The exodus resulted in a loss of $880 million in adjusted gross income, significantly impacting the state’s economy.
For comparison, other southeastern states experienced gains during the same period. Florida and Texas were among the biggest winners, while Louisiana joined Mississippi as one of the region’s few states to lose residents.

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