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Report: Louisiana's Richmond among possible VP picks for Harris

Thu, 07/25/2024 - 11:14am
ALAN WOOTEN, The Center Square

Vetting for potential candidates to run alongside Kamala Harris in her bid for president is underway, with a number of prominent elected Democrats under consideration, according to published reports.
A Tuesday afternoon report by the Wall Street Journal said the Harris campaign sent vetting materials to Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, and U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona.
A separate report from USA Today listed the same names but added former Louisiana Rep. Cedric Richmond as a possible candidate. The Gannett publication said Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg were not on the list, but ABC News later reported that Beshear also was asked to submit vetting materials.
Another afternoon report, by The Hill, listed Cooper, Shapiro, Whitmer, Walz and Kelly.
Cooper, Shapiro, Whitmer and Kelly represent four of the seven battleground states. Georgia, Wisconsin and Nevada are the others, with 93 electoral college votes among the seven.
Whitmer told a Michigan television station on Monday she doesn’t plan to leave the state.
Shapiro was a first-time gubernatorial winner in 2022, when Democrats flipped a U.S. Senate seat in his state on the strength of John Fetterman’s win over Donald Trump-endorsed Mehmet Oz. And it wasn’t as close as expected – 51.2%-46.3% – despite health questions dogging Fetterman.
Cooper is unbeaten in 13 elections – three for the North Carolina House of Representatives, four in the state Senate, four four-year terms for attorney general, and two four-year terms for governor. Finishing his second four-year term in December, state law prevents him running for a third consecutive and he has not announced plans.
There’s no indication of when Harris will name the choice. She had a previously scheduled stop in Milwaukee, Wis., on Tuesday that was expected to serve as a campaign rally. National media turned eyes toward Charlotte on Wednesday when Trump, the former president and Republican nominee, stumped at the Bojangles’ Coliseum.

St. Mary, Franklin join in proposed class-action suit over old telecom cables

Thu, 07/25/2024 - 10:31am

St. Mary Parish and the cities of Franklin and New Iberia are plaintiffs in a proposed class action lawsuit against two telecom companies over alleged failure to remove lead-lined telecommunications cables.

Attorneys with the Burns Charest law firm of New Orleans office have filed a proposed class action lawsuit against AT&T and Lumen Technologies in 16th Judicial District Court in Franklin.

The litigation filed on behalf of the local governments and affected individuals claims that the companies have known for years about potential health risks from the deteriorating cables, the law firm said.

The lawsuit seeks damages for trespass and negligence against the defendants, claiming that the known health risks “will continue until the cables are removed, the contamination is stopped, and the properties are restored to their original, uncontaminated condition.”

Korey Nelson and Amanda Klevorn of Burns Charest represent the plaintiffs, along with attorneys Barry Sallinger of Lafayette and Robert C. Vines of New Iberia.

JIMMIE ROGERS RULF SR.

Thu, 07/25/2024 - 8:14am

Jimmie Rogers Rulf Sr., 62, a native of Berwick and resident of Bayou L’Ourse, died Tuesday, July 23, 2024.
He is survived by his wife, Renee Rulf of Bayou L’Ourse; three sons, Jimmie Rulf of Berwick, Joseph Rulf of Morgan City and Jacob Rulf of Bayou L’Ourse; stepson, Chazz Barnes of Morgan City; stepdaughter, Laney Brignac of Bayou L’Ourse; mother, Leona Rulf; four siblings, Murlin Rulf, Sally Bourg, Peggy Lovell and Bobbie Rulf; 10 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his father.
Visitation will be Friday, from 9 a.m. until services at 11 a.m. at Hargrave Funeral Home. Private graveside services will be held at a later date.
Hargrave Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

St. Mary police agencies report theft arrests

Wed, 07/24/2024 - 4:20pm
Staff Report

(Editor’s note: The charges listed here and the narratives that go with them are provided by the police agencies that made the arrests. Guilt or innocence has not been determined in court.)

This week’s arrests in St. Mary included three involving charges of theft.

Morgan City

Chief Chad M. Adams reported that over the last 48-hour period, the Morgan City Police Department responded to 109 calls for service and made these arrests:

--Clayton J. Norrell, 49, Opelousas Street, Lake Charles, was arrested at 6:15 p.m. Tuesday on charges of simple battery, aggravated assault and theft (under $1,000).

--Jahiem J. Taylor, 21, Barrow Street, Morgan City, was arrested 11:24 a.m. Tuesday on a charge of theft (under $1,000).

--Demetrus Owens, 31, Grace Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 2:15 p.m. Tuesday on a charge of remaining after forbidden.

--Jimmy E. Wadsworth Jr., 74, Jack Brooks Road, New Iberia, was arrested at 2:28 p.m. Tuesday on a charge of disturbing the peace (drunkenness).

--Johnathan Anthony Mayea, 39, Chestnut Street, Morgan City, La., was arrested at 2:19 a.m. Sunday on charges of domestic abuse battery and simple damage to property, and as a fugitive from Louisiana State Police.

--Bradley Adam Pojar, 20, Federal Avenue, Morgan City, was arrested at 1:03 a.m. Tuesday on charges of possession of drug paraphernalia and lights required on bicycle. (Released on summons.)

--Lenny Lesigne Steel, 46, Railroad Avenue, Morgan City, was arrested 2:04 a.m. Tuesday on charges of possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and lights required on bicycle.

--Andrea Bourgeois, 43, Karen Drive, Morgan City, was arrested at 4:06 a.m. Tuesday on charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of Gabapentin and improper lane usage.

Patterson

Chief Garrett Grogan reported these arrests:

--Nathan R. Corley, 44, La. 182, Patterson, was arrested at 4:16 pm. Monday on a charge of theft. Corley is incarcerated at the Patterson PD Jail with bond set at $476.

--Samantha J. Sargee, 40, McGee Street, Patterson, was arrested at noon Tuesday on a charge of entering or remaining on a forbidden place. Sargee is incarcerated at the Patterson PD Jail with bond set at $323.

St. Mary

Sheriff Gary Driskell reported that over the last 24-hour reporting period, the Sheriff’s Office responded to 44 complaints and made these arrests:

--Julianna Danielle Culberson, 19, Jackson, was arrested at 1:34 p.m. Tuesday on a warrant alleging failure to appear on the charge of domestic abuse battery. Bail has not been set at this time.

--Virgis Marie Metrejean, 60, Morgan City, was arrested at 8:33 p.m. Tuesday on a charge of child desertion. Bail has not been set at this time.

--Amanda Gail Soudelier, 46, Morgan City, was arrested at 4:57 a.m. Wednesday on a charge of disturbing the peace (language). Bail has not been set at this time.

--Jessicah Johnson, 31, Morgan City, was arrested by the Narcotics Section at 3:40 p.m. Tuesday on charges of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession with intent to distribute MDMA, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving under suspension and window tint.

Johnson was released on a $15,000 bond.

Franklin

Chief Cedric Handy reported that over the last 24-hour reporting period, the Franklin Police Department responded to 10 complaints and made these arrests:

--Jason Robicheaux, 44, Willow Street, Franklin, was arrested at 3:33 p.m. Monday on a warrant for 16th Judicial District Court alleging failure to appear on acharge of criminal neglect of family. Robicheaux was booked, processed and held on a $5,869.91 bond.

--Joseph Lewis, 34, Cedar Street, Franklin, was arrested at 7:21 p.m. Monday on a warrant for 24th Judicial District Court alleging failure to appear on a charge of simple burglary. Lewis was booked, processed and held with no bond set at the time of press release.

--Dandre Smith, 27, Rodeo Road, Abbeville, was arrested at 9:27 p.m. Monday on charges of aggravated flight from an officer, stop signs, speed zone limits, failure to yield to emergency vehicles, failure to signal lane change and resisting an officer. Smith was booked, processed and held on a $6,000 bond.

Chitimacha

Chief B.C. Trahan reported this arrest:

--Hugo Velasquez, 47, Bank Avenue, New Iberia, was arrested Saturday on a charge of criminal trespassing. He was released on a summons.

Morgan City police radio logs for July 23-24

Wed, 07/24/2024 - 2:33pm

The following are the radio dispatch logs from the Morgan City Police Department. To report unlawful or suspicious activity, call the Police Department at 985-380-4605.
Tuesday, July 23
7:03 a.m. 1600 block of Elm Street; Animal complaint.
7:48 a.m. 1000 block of Florence Street; Hang up call.
9:13 a.m. 300 block of First Street; Lost and found.
9:31 a.m. 300 block of Patton Street; Animal complaint.
9:56 a.m. 1300 block of Victor II Boulevard; Complaint.
11:10 a.m. 700 block of Brashear Avenue; Theft.
11:39 a.m. 2000 block of Railroad Avenue; Welfare check.
11:53 a.m. 500 block of Brashear Avenue; Trespassing.
1:07 p.m. 500 block of Roderick Street; Complaint.
1:10 p.m. Front Street near Shannon; Vehicle crash.
1:59 p.m. 500 block of Franklin Street; Civil complaint.
2:23 p.m. 6300 block of La. 182; Complaint.
3:01 p.m. 1300 block of Nebraska Street; Stand by.
5:36 p.m. 1300 block of Nebraska Street; Complaint.
5:59 p.m. Roderick Street; Disturbance.
7:59 p.m. U.S. 90; Reckless driving.
8:39 p.m. 700 block of Federal Avenue; Suspicious person/vehicle.
9:02 p.m. Federal Avenue/Duke Street; Suspicious person/vehicle.
9:08 p.m. 2400 block of Apple Street; Medical.
9:16 p.m. Railroad Avenue/Fourth Street; Suspicious person/vehicle.
9:26 p.m. Louisa/Sixth streets; Suspicious person/vehicle.
11:29 p.m. 6300 block of La. 182; Alarm.
11:52 p.m. Fisherman’s Wharf; Suspicious person/vehicle.
Wednesday, July 24
2:05 a.m. Lawrence Park; Complaint.
2:07 a.m. 1000 block of Victor II Boulevard; Suspicious person/vehicle.
3:21 a.m. Victor II Boulevard; Suspicious person/vehicle.
4:19 a.m. 700 block of Belanger Street; Medical.
5:33 a.m. La. 70/U.S. 90 Junction; Complaint.

Pierre Part woman is TOPS Louisiana queen

Wed, 07/24/2024 - 6:00am

Gloria Pintado of Pierre Part, who lost 71 pounds, and Don Brown of Opelousas, who lost 108.8 pounds, are the 2023 Louisina queen and king for Take Off Pounds Sensibly, the nonprofit weight-loss support organization.
TOPS royalty are women and men who have officially recorded the largest weight loss from their starting weight at the end of the year, regardless of the time taken to reach their goal.
Brown and Pintado were were honored March 21-23 at the Louisiana recognition event at the Best Western Alexandria. Brown was honored posthumously. He died Jan. 24.
TOPS provides an individual approach to weight loss and overall wellness. Consistent group support, health education, and recognition are all key components to successful weight management. Louisiana has an adult obesity rate of 40.1%, the second highest in the country. In 2023, TOPS members in Louisiana lost a cumulative 3,410 pounds.
“All of us in TOPS are immensely proud of our members’ weight-loss achievements,” said TOPS President Rick Danforth, who maintained a 100-pound weight loss for 15 years.
Weekly meetings are the heart of TOPS support, whether they are held in person or online. In-person meetings start with an optional weigh-in, with members then sharing challenges, successes, or goals, followed by a brief program covering a variety of health and wellness topics, and may conclude with awards and recognition for the week. Visitors can attend their first TOPS in-person meeting free of charge and are encouraged to try more than one chapter since they’re all a little different.
For online membership, meetings are conducted via Zoom and are offered at least five times during the week. The meeting starts with members disclosing challenges, successes, or goals.
Next, the online facilitator presents a prepared program and sometimes includes guest speakers who share their expert views on fitness, nutrition, and more. Meetings conclude with action steps related to the program presented.
Membership starts at $49 per year in the U.S. and $59 annually in Canada.

Gloria Pintado's story: 'Never give up' on weight loss

Wed, 07/24/2024 - 6:00am
GLORIA PINTADO

When I was called and told I was the 2023 TOPS Louisiana queen, I was speechless. I never thought I could be state queen. I am still in awe of the honor.
My weight loss journey started after my husband died at age 43. I had to do something about my weight and get healthy because I had two children at home who needed me. My journey is a long one, with many ups and downs.
I started in 1996 when I joined TOPS for the first time at a weight of 225 pounds. I did great and made it to KOPS in December of 1996. I kept my KOPS status for a few years until I lost it. I stayed in TOPS but just could not get back to KOPS. I stopped going to meetings for a few years. During those years I would come back to meetings a few times but just could not commit.
The last time I came back was in 2017 at a weight of 264 pounds. This was the most I had ever weighed in my life, and I told myself I had to lose the weight this time. I knew what I had to do.
I started eating healthier foods, lots of salads, vegetables, fruits and proteins. I used smaller plates for better portion control. I never liked water, but I started drinking more water. Now drinking water has become a daily habit.
I could not walk for exercise, so I did chair exercises. It finally worked. This last time took six years to reach KOPS at my goal of 193 pounds, for a total loss of 71 pounds. I went from a size 22 to a size 14/16 and I feel so much better.
I am an assistant weight recorder, which helped me to keep going to my meetings every week. I try to encourage my members when they weigh in, whether they lose or gain.
I want to thank my immediate family and most of all my TOPS family LA 0405 Pierre Part. I could not have done it without all of them. My total journey took over 25 years, but even with the ups and downs, I made it, and you can too. Please never give up because as you can see, I am living proof you can reach your goals.

Jim Bradshaw: He didn't reach the moon, but his pilot's license did

Wed, 07/24/2024 - 6:00am
JIM BRADSHAW

Jimmy Mattern was never as well known as Charles Lindbergh, but he was at the height of his fame when hundreds of people from across South Louisiana turned out to hear him talk about exploits every bit as riveting as Lindbergh’s celebrated adventures.
He flew into Abbeville on July 8, 1934, as part of a tour of 100 towns and cities to promote that year’s World Fair in Chicago. Abbeville may have been one of his stops because he was also a technical adviser for the Pure Oil Co., which was interested in drilling thereabouts, and because of a friendship with one of his old flying instructors.
“Hundreds of persons in cars lined near the landing field witnessed the graceful landing made by Mattern after he circled the city several times,” according to the Abbeville Meridional. He was greeted by scores of townspeople, Mayor Fred Schlesinger, former mayor F. U. Broussard, representatives of Pure Oil, and two south Louisiana aviators, Leo J. Bulliard and Glynn Jones.
Mattern flew from New Orleans to Abbeville in about 45 minutes and “alighted from the comfortable cabin as nonchalantly as the autoist steps out of his car,” the newspaper said.
At the airfield, the aviator presented invitations to the mayor and former mayor to attend the Chicago exposition as personal guests of the fair’s president, and was then driven to Frank’s Theater, “packed by a large crowd interested in the flier’s outstanding achievement in aviation history.”
It was a history worth hearing, too. Mattern learned to fly in 1926 and almost immediately began to push at aviation limits, doing stunt flying in the movies. He also set several speed records, but he was best known for two attempts to fly around the world.
In July 1932 Mattern and copilot Bennett Griffin flew a Lockheed Vega from Newfoundland to Berlin in 18 hours and 41 minutes.
They set a record by crossing the Atlantic in 10 hours, 50 minutes, but the round-the-world attempt ended in a crash landing in Belarus, which was then part of the Soviet Union. A year later, he attempted a solo flight that ended in a crash landing in Siberia.
As the Meridional summarized, “Although Mattern has been establishing aviation records for the past five years, he is best known for his heroic attempt to girdle the globe in record time alone last June. After the longest solo flight that had ever been made — New York to Norway — and a perilous dash across Europe and Russia, Mattern ran out of oil and was forced to crash in the desolate wastes of Arctic Siberia.”
He vanished for three weeks, but “one day in early July a wireless station [at an isolated Russian military post] at Anadyr, Siberia, flashed the news that Mattern had been found by Eskimos, ill with pneumonia, half-starved, and with a broken ankle.”
Mattern told that tale in Abbeville, then visited with W. E. Baker, who was an instructor at Kelly Field, Texas, “when Mattern was learning blind flying preparatory to his solo trip around the world,” according to the newspaper report.
“Lieutenant Baker of Abbeville was seriously injured in a crash while he was giving final instructions to a student pilot … and since that time has been disabled.”
After his visit to Baker, Mattern was kept busy signing autographs “between bites” at an “old-time barbecue” that included 150 Pure Oil representatives from Morgan City, Franklin, St. Martinville, Opelousas, Lafayette, Kaplan, Gueydan, Jennings, Church Point, Abbeville, Broussard, Delcambre, Morse, Welsh, Lake Charles, Rayne, “and others,” according to the Meridional’s list.
Mattern flew out of Abbeville early in the evening, headed for Beaumont to hand out more World Fair invitations. Otherwise, the Meridional said, the famous pilot was “suspiciously silent as to his future flight plans.”
The newspaper suggested that “shortly after the conclusion of his present national tour, Mattern will announce a series of new flight plans that will eclipse even his past achievements.”
He did continue to push the limits of aviation, but there were no more crash-landing adventures.
From 1933 to 1938 he traveled the world as a celebrity pilot giving lectures much like the one he’d delivered in Abbeville.
In 1938 he became a Lockheed test pilot and continued to fly until 1946, when — probably because of stresses from pushing planes and himself to the limit — he was diagnosed with a ruptured blood vessel in his brain.
That ended his flying career, but not his interest in the cutting edge of flight.
He attended three Apollo spacecraft launches and so avidly supported the U.S. space program that in 1969 Neil Armstrong carried Jimmy’s pilot’s license to the moon aboard Apollo 11.
Jimmy worked in relative obscurity as a realtor after his flying days ended and died in December 1988 at the age of 83.
His license made it around the moon, but he never made it around the world.
You can contact Jim Bradshaw at jimbradshaw4321@gmail.com or P.O. Box 1121, Washington LA 70589.

Jim Brown: New Orleans is a great political convention town

Wed, 07/24/2024 - 6:00am
JIM BROWN

The Republicans just finished a rousing convention in, of all places, Milwaukee.
About the only thing of interest the delegates might want to visit are a number of breweries and the Harley Davidson Museum. 
But the state of Wisconsin is a key battleground state, so the Republicans picked this more enticing venue to help the Republican ticket.
One of the negatives of being a red state like Louisiana is that New Orleans is out of the mix when it comes to bringing some 50,000 delegates and onlookers to the Crescent City.
It would be an understatement to say that the GOP sure missed a good time by not coming “way down yonder to New Orleans.’’
The delegates could have been tempted by Bourbon Street jazz bars and French Quarter restaurants, the World War II Museum along was so many other sites to see and a host of temptations. 
As The New Orleans magazine wrote during the last time the Republicans came to New Orleans in 1988, “How to Have a Good Time in the Big Easy . . . And Keep It Quiet in Des Moines.”
Too bad these conventions are out of the running for New Orleans.
Hands-down, the Crescent City is the best convention venue in the country.
Hosting a convention at the Superdome makes it easy for those in attendance to walk from any hotel in the downtown area.
There is a huge financial stake involved, with some 50,000 conventioneers projected to be in attendance as we witnessed in Milwaukee.  The economic impact is estimated to be well over $250 million.
The last time either party held there nominating convention in New Orleans was in 1988. The GOP gathered in New Orleans at the Superdome to pick their nominee.
An old friend had a box suite and invited me to join him there to watch the festivities.
The president-to-be, George H.W. Bush, had just completed his acceptance speech and the suite emptied out.
I lingered to watch all the celebrating, when the door opened, and U.S. Sen. Bob Dole walked in.
Dole had lost the nomination to Bush in a heated battle marked by some sharp exchanges.
“Sorry, I must be lost,” he said.
“There’s supposed to be a suite where I can sit a bit, but I’ve forgotten the number.” “Senator, you’re welcome to relax here,” I volunteered.
I offered him a drink and we sat and watched the jubilation and TV commentary.
You could tell he was wishing he could have been the nominee taking on Gov. Michael Dukakis in the coming fall election.
I asked, “Can Bush win?”
Dole paused for a moment, and said: “Yes, I believe he will. But that promise about ‘read my lips — no new taxes.’
That may come back to haunt him in the future if he is elected.
“The Senator was right on the mark. That promise was a big factor in Bill Clinton’s victory over the incumbent president four years later.
Next up are the Democrats, who will converge on Chicago.
And what a reputation this city has for wild conventions.
I was there in 1968 when President Lyndon Johnson had stepped down from office and Sen. Hubert Humphrey had locked up the Democratic nomination.
Louisiana’s own John McKeithen made a play for the vice presidential nomination on the Humphrey ticket.
That was the first time I ever met Big John. Humphrey passed on picking McKeithen, choosing Sen. Edwin Muskie of Maine instead, and the Louisiana governor went home in a huff.
I thought the Democratic convention in 1988 was about as wild a gathering as I would witness.
Right now, it looks like the Democratic gathering in Chicago could be completely topsy-turvy and one for the history books.
With President Joe Biden no longer on the ticket, will some unknown candidate emerge. Donald Trump is watching from the sidelines with no idea as to who his opponent will be.
It’s going to be quite a sight to watch. So get your popcorn ready.
Peace and Justice
Jim Brown
Jim Brown’s syndicated column appears each week in numerous newspapers throughout the nation and on websites worldwide. You can read all his past columns and see continuing updates at http://www.jimbrownusa.com.

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