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Football, mentoring camp set

Thu, 06/01/2017 - 10:53am

The 7th Annual Football & Mentoring Camp that will be held at Franklin High school on Saturday, June 10, 2017. This is a FREE camp for youth ages 6-17.
According to Franklin Junior High School Principal J. Ina, “We have been able to hold this camp for six years in a row FOR FREE!! because of the generosity of several local sponsors.”
Each child will receive breakfast, lunch, a camp T-shirt, along with age-appropriate mentoring sessions and football skills training.
“We have quietly served over 500 youth since the camp began in 2010. We are proud to be able to provide this much-anticipated service to the youth of the community, and hope to have a record turnout this year,” Ina stated.

Sign Up Begins for day Camp

Thu, 06/01/2017 - 10:53am

School is out and summer vacation is in full effect for local kids. Parents need not to fret because City of Morgan City Recreational Department began registration for Summer Day Camp. Summer Day Camp is hosted in three two-week sessions with the first session starting June 5-16. Session two will occur June 19-30 and session three will be July 3-14 but closed for Independence Day. Summer Day Camp is held Monday through Friday from 8a.m-5p.m. in the gymnasium at M.D. Shannon Elementary School. Eligible youth for day camp must have made the age of 6 by May 1 and must ...

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Police Reports 6-1-17

Thu, 06/01/2017 - 10:52am

Franklin Police Chief Sabria McGuire reported the following arrests:
D’Juandranique Diggs, 26, of Collie Street, Franklin, was arrested Wednesday at 12:28 p.m. on a charge of theft of a motor vehicle from the West Ibert Street area. No bond was set.
Valencia Mitchell, 56, of Madison Street, Franklin, was arrested Wednesday at 1:38 p.m. on a warrant charging her with shoplifting and was released on $1,500 bond.
Chitimacha Police Chief Hal Hutchinson reported that officers made a traffic stop Wednesday about 9 p.m. on a license plate light violation. During the course of the investigation one of the vehicle occupants reportedly turned over several pills to officers and the other vehicle occupant had a prescription pill in their possession with prescribed pills that did not match the prescription bottle. Consent to search the vehicle was provided and during the search marijuana and drug paraphernalia was reportedly located in the vehicle.
Mandie K. Haire, 35, of Palfrey Street, Franklin, was charged with possession of Schedule II-amphetamine, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. Haire was booked and transported to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center for incarceration. Haire also was cited citations for traffic violations.
Natalie V. Cranche, 34, of Oneida Street, Charenton, was charged with unlawful possession of drugs. Cranche was booked and transported to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center for incarceration.

Grizzaffi: Many projects in the works for Morgan City area

Thu, 06/01/2017 - 10:51am

BY JANELL PARFAIT
The St. Mary Parish Chamber of Commerce hosted a luncheon at The Forest in Franklin on May 24 for parish mayors and leaders to give updates on their respective communities.
Mayor Frank “Boo” Grizzaffi of Morgan City announced that the new riverfront wharf, a $2.5 million project, is in the finishing stages. The wharf, which is equipped with electricity, running water and bathroom facilities, will house 12 shrimping vessels. The structure was made possible by a $1.3 million grant from the Department of Natural Resources and additional contributions from the City of Morgan City and the St. Mary Levee District.
“It brings us back to a lot of things in our community that, without the support of our corporate partners working together with our parish representatives, a lot of this couldn’t be done,” Grizzaffi said.
A $20 million levee system is also in the works for Morgan City.
“We’re looking for Morgan City to be the most secured, protected city on the coast,” Grizzaffi said. “Not only through the federal system on the riverfront, but now on the levee system.”
Grizzaffi recounts Lake End Park and Carillon Tower as highlight attractions of the city.
“(Carillon Tower) is a beautiful facility,” he said. “Not a lot of people around here even recognize it because they pass it all the time. But it’s visited by a lot of people throughout the United States.”
The tower stands on Brownell property, and the Brownell family donates $40,000 to the City of Morgan City annually.
“Over the last year, we’ve been meeting with the board of directors, and they’re getting ready to accept a donation of 10.1 acres of property to the City of Morgan City along with just under $1 million in cash to operate it into the future through a trust,” Grizzaffi said. “So once we do that, we look forward to tying Carillon Tower to Lake End Park.”
He laments that while the Morgan City Municipal Auditorium is “a jewel of our city,” it is difficult to make a profit through the auditorium.
“There are recurring expenses, and all of us know it,” Grizzaffi said. “Those things are what operate a city; the city’s got its own utilities: water, gas, sewer, police, fire…those expenses do not decline.”
Through attrition and retirement, Grizzaffi has managed to reduce the number of city employees down to 60 workers.
In regards to health insurance, the mayor said the city “took a leap of faith nine months ago.” Insurance rates were increasing by 30 to 40 percent and the city was paying $1.6 million annually. Grizzaffi settled for an alternative insurance policy that granted the city a $250,000 surplus.
He said that Morgan City’s current dilemma is commercial property insurance, a $700,000 expense for the city.
“We’re working closely with the agency now to figure out how to get that cost down,” Grizzaffi said. “It’s no different in the city than it is in a private business. You get them reoccurring expenses coming, and you don’t have the revenue to add them up together with Plan B. We’ve been talking about Plan B for the last two years, so we put ourselves into a position to try to hold out: no layoffs, no cutting pay, no backing down. We continue to run as a normal city.”

Previous narcotics arrest leads to identity theft charges on 2

Thu, 06/01/2017 - 10:50am

After a March narcotics arrest, Chitimacha Police officers reportedly uncovered information that showed identity theft had taken place.
Chief Hal Hutchinson reported that officers have since been investigating an identity theft case involving over 20 victims. During the course of the investigation it was learned that Craig P. LeBlanc and Sarah B. Guidry allegedly illegally obtained credit/debit card numbers of over 20 victims throughout the United States, of which three were over the age of 60.
The victims were contacted and verified that they had fraudulent purchases on their credit/debit cards within recent months. Guidry also had the driver’s license of another person in her possession during contact with officers from Chitimacha Tribal Police.
Craig P. LeBlanc, 41, Green Acres Street, Larose, was arrested May 24 on three counts of felony identity theft and 23 counts of misdemeanor identity theft. At the time of the arrest LeBlanc was incarcerated at the St Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center where he remains with a total bond set at $22,000.
Warrants were obtained for Sarah B. Guidry on three felony counts of identity theft and 24 counts of misdemeanor identity theft. Guidry was arrested in Jeff Davis Parish on Wednesday and is currently incarcerated in Jeff Davis Parish awaiting transport to the Chitimacha Tribal Police Department.
This investigated is still ongoing and additional charges and arrests are pending. Persons with any information on this case are asked to call 337-923-4964. Hanover Police Department in New Hampshire, St Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office, St Martin Parish Sheriff’s Office, Lafayette Police Department, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office and Jeff Davis Parish Sheriff’s Office assisted in the case.

Chase in Franklin leads to wreck

Thu, 06/01/2017 - 10:45am

Chief Sabria McGuire reported that shortly after 10 p.m. Wednesday, Franklin Police officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop for a stop sign violation on Anderson Street. The vehicle refused to stop for officers and continued to travel down Anderson Street, failing to stop at several stop signs and driving erratically. The driver, later identified as Wilbert Guy Jr., continued to travel in the same manner through the private property of AmeriPure and onto Martin Luther King Boulevard. Guy failed to stop at several stop signs on Martin Luther King Boulevard before turning onto Main Street, traveling in the wrong lane of travel. The vehicle then struck oncoming traffic and a lamp post in the area of Iberia Street and Main Street. There were three vehicles involved with a total of five occupants. Four occupants, including Guy, were transported by Acadian AirMed to hospitals in Lafayette. Guy has pending charges for three counts of first degree vehicular negligent injuries, aggravated obstruction of a highway commerce, flight from an officer, aggravated flight from an officer, no driver’s license, possession of Schedule I narcotics (marijuana) and possession of drug paraphernalia. As part of the ongoing investigation, blood samples were obtained. The results are pending scientific analysis.

Stephensville Elementary awards

Thu, 06/01/2017 - 10:29am

LINDA COOKE

The students of grades 1 through 7 at Stephensville Elementary School received recognition for all their achievements at a program May 18 in the school gymnasium.
Trophies, plaques, certificates, T-shirts and lots of hugs, kisses and photographs were given to the students.
Awards were given for honor roll, most improved, PBIS, Gator Star Conduct, Citizenship, Math Facts, St. Jude Math-A-Thon participation, Perfect Attendance, French, Fine Arts Fair, Science and Math Fair, Accelerated Reading, and Sports.
Those receiving trophies for straight A’s for the entire year were Ayden Vandercook, Madellyn Veillion, Ava Topham, Taylor Layton, Natalie Faust and Maycee Leblanc.
Maintaining perfect attendance for the entire year were Jeremy Lebouff, Alex Orgeron, Emily Orgeron, Gary Palmature and Lilli Palmature.
The program ended with the presentation of awards to Candice Grivet, Teacher of the Year for the school and parish.
One surprise announcement came when Principal Bryan Staton announced the massive renovations which would take place at the school over the summer.
Perhaps the final surprise came when Principal Staton announced that he would not be returning to Stephensville Elementary School in the fall. No suggestion was made as to who the next principal would be.

Scholarship winner

Thu, 06/01/2017 - 10:17am

Submitted Photo
The One Hundred Black Men of St. Mary Parish Scholarship was presented to Jahne Bailey at the Morgan City High School Senior Awards Ceremony. The scholarship is a one-time award of $750. The winner is the daughter of Jenny and John Bailey. Presenting the scholarship Cedric Wilson.

UBS offers vacation contest

Thu, 06/01/2017 - 10:13am

United Blood Services is offering the chance to win a dream vacation.
Come to donate blood this June, July or August with United Blood Services and you are entered to win a dream vacation to the destination of your choice.
For one lucky winner, United Blood Services will cover the transit and lodging cost up to $6,000, to the destination of the winner’s choice. Last year’s winner went to St. Lucia with her husband for a week.
The winner must be 21 or older. Visit www.UnitedBloodServices.org/LA for a full list of rules and restrictions. Donors can donate at the donor center, l1234 David Drive, Suite 102 in Morgan City. Visit www.bloodhero.com or call 877-UBS-HERO.

Signup continues for summer rec program

Thu, 06/01/2017 - 10:07am

Signup continues
for rec program
Patterson Community Center, located at 204 Park St. in Patterson, announces its Annual Summer Recreation Program.
Registration will continue from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Friday, June 9.
Registration is $50 per child and is open to ages 6-16.
The summer program will begin June 12 and end July 21. The program includes free tutoring, feeding (breakfast, lunch and snacks), arts and crafts, mentoring, and sports.
Call Sylvia Fields or Carrie Johnson at 985-395-4422 for more information.