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Jeremy Alford and David Jacobs: A look at mayor's races, including Morgan City's

Thu, 07/11/2024 - 10:50am
JEREMY ALFORD AND DAVID JACOBS

There’s going to be plenty of local action at the bottom of the Nov. 5 ballot this fall, with Louisiana’s villages, towns and cities hosting 77 different mayoral races.
Some of the mayoral posts are so obscure (like those for the village of Sikes or the village of Forest) that they routinely draw no candidates at all.
Others, meanwhile, will barely make a noise, with incumbent mayors seizing victory without opposition or sprinting past the finish line against weak challengers.
There are recognizable cities on the list, though, that are worth keeping tabs on this summer, such as Donaldsonville, East Baton Rouge, Gonzales, Morgan City, New Iberia, Oakdale, Port Allen and Plaquemine.
Here’s your first of several snapshots of the mayoral landscape:
—MORGAN CITY: Mayor Lee Dragna plans to run for his second term.
He does not appear to have a major opponent thus far, and he won’t be easy to knock off. Dragna is a successful businessman who one prominent elected official from the region, who is a friend and supporter, described as a “Clay Higgins type, but not in a bad way,” referencing the Acadiana congressman The elected official added, “I don’t think he can be beat.”
—GONZALES: Just down the road from Baton Rouge, four-term incumbent Mayor Barney Arceneaux stepped down to become executive director of the Louisiana Municipal Association, creating a wide-open race in a growing city
The transition of power, population figures and demographics will mark this election. The city has swollen with new residents over the past 10 years, making for an electorate that hasn’t been tested by the local power structure.
There’s an uncertainty hovering over this election, but the field is coming into focus.
While almost half of the city’s population is white, the leading names being thrown around so far are all Black.
That includes current City Council members Timothy Riley, who is considered somewhat of an outsider voice, and Harold Stewart, who is more aligned with the local establishment. Terance Irvin, a former council member who challenged Arcenaux in 2016, is expected to make another run. 
Also, Kremlin Lomas, who has experience in local and state government, has announced her candidacy. Other names are being whispered, but for now many want to know whether a white Republican can mount a viable campaign.
—NEW IBERIA: Mayor Freddie DeCourt also is running for re-election, and does not seem to have a high-profile challenger yet.
One elected official from the region described him as a “well-liked go-getter” and probably a safe bet to win.
—EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH: Sharon Weston Broome is seeking her third and final term as mayor-president of the city-parish.
Former Rep. Ted James, an erstwhile ally who was most recently working in the administration of President Joe Biden, is seeking to keep her from reaching her term limit. Both are Democrats. David Tatman, a Republican lobbyist and former East Baton Rouge Parish School Board president, recently announced he’s not running. 
As noted in this space in the past, one of the main factors to watch will be whether another Republican can outpace one of the two prominent Democrats and make the December runoff, where they could face a smaller electorate with a higher proportion of GOP voters.
Qualifying is scheduled for July 17-19.
For more Louisiana political news, visit www. LaPolitics.com or follow Alford on Twitter @ LaPoliticsNow.

Area authorities make four arrests on theft charges

Wed, 07/10/2024 - 12:37pm
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.)

City police and parish deputies reported four arrests for theft in the last week.

Morgan City

Chief Chad M. Adams reported these arrests:

--James Patrick Chaisson, 57, Aucoin Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 9:19 a.m. Tuesday on a charge of theft (over $25,000).

--Byron Carisse, 37, Plantation Road, Thibodaux, was arrested at 3:24 p.m. Monday as a fugitive from the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Department.

--Alfred J. Francois Jr., 59, Bowman Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 6:55 p.m. Tuesday on a charge of possession of cocaine.

--Barron Kenner, 50, Arizona Street, Morgan City, was arrested on 9:97 p.m. Tuesday on a charge of possession of marijuana. (Released on summons.)

--John Wayne Ross, 55, La. 182, Morgan City, was arrested 8:48 a.m. July 5 on charges of possession of Subutex and remaining after forbidden.

--Darrell Riggins Jr, 35, Columbus Avenue, Morgan City, was arrested at 1:14 a.m. Monday on charges of possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and disturbing the peace (intoxicated).

--Ricardo Sing, 53, Belanger Street, Morgan City, was a 12:01 a.m. Saturday on charges of driving while intoxicated (fourth offense) and reckless operation of a motor vehicle.

--Nigel Leigh Singleton, 30, Marshal Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 1:58 p.m. July 5 on charges of criminal damage to property and disturbing the peace.

--Tom Nguyen, 67, Lake Palourde Road, Morgan City, was arrested at 6:44 p.m. July 5 on a charge of failure to appear to pay fine (6th Ward Morgan City Court).

--Winn Joseph East, 61, Laurel Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 8:09 p.m. July 5 as a fugitive from the Berwick Police Department.

--Nicole Percle, 48, Leona Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 8:14 p.m. July 5 on a charge of possession of Subutex.

--Connie Franklin Bigs, 75, Garber Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 2:36 a.m. Saturday on a charge of allowing dogs to roam. (Released on summons.)

--Brandon Lee Brunet, 21, Willow Bend Drive, Morgan City, was arrested at 6:28 p.m. Sunday on a charge of disturbing the peace (intoxicated).

--Grant Walker, 28, Mural Street, Bayou L’Ourse, was arrested at 7:29 p.m. Sunday on charges of resisting arrest and domestic abuse battery.

--Sarah Elizabeth Bran, 38, Hogan Street, Berwick, was arrested at midnight Sunday on two counts of failure to appear to pay fines (6th Ward Morgan City Court).

--Demetrius James Green, 33, Arkansas Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 12:33 p.m. Monday on a charge of battery of a dating partner.

Berwick

Chief David Leonard Sr. reported these arrests:

--Winn East, 61, Berwick was arrested at 11:05 a.m. Monday on a warrant alleging theft (over $1,000).

About 11:05 a.m. Monday, East was located at the Morgan City Police Department and had active warrants through the Berwick Police Department. East was placed under arrest and transported to the Berwick Police Department, where he was booked.

--Angel Ybarra, 34, no address, was arrested on July 8, 2024 at 7:34 p.m. Monday on charges of disturbing the peace (intoxication) and misrepresentation during booking.

About 7:30 p.m. Monday, officers in the area of the U.S. 90 bridge observed a subject in the roadway, causing motorist to avoid crashing into him. Officers made contact with the subject, who appeared to be in an impaired state.

He was placed under arrest and transported to the Berwick Police Department where he refused to identify himself to officers. The subject was later identified as Ybarra. He was then booked.

St. Mary

Sheriff Gary Driskell reported these arrests:

--Bradley Thomas Harper, 57, New Iberia, was arrested at 7:39 p.m. Monday on a charge of theft. Bail has not been set at this time.

--James Chaisson, 57, Amelia, was arrested at 1:50 p.m. Monday by the Narcotics Section on an MCPD warrant alleging felony theft. Bail has not been set at this time.

--Jaylon Anthony Randle, 26, Franklin, was arrested at 7:07 p.m. Tuesday on charges of obstruction to driver’s view, view outward and inward of window, possession of marijuana, possession of Schedule V drugs, and illegal carrying of a weapon in the presence of a controlled

Randle was released on a $6,000 bond.

--Joshua Stephenson, 29, Bayou Vista, was arrested at 8:39 p.m. Tuesday on a charge of attempted criminal damage to property, disturbing the peace (language) and domestic abuse battery (strangulation). Bail was set at $12,500.

--Loreal Miller, 36, Baldwin, was arrested at 7:07 p.m. Tuesday by the Narcotics Section on charges of possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Bail has been set at $3,500.

--Gary Lee Durden, 50, Gibson, was arrested by the at 12:56 p.m. Tuesday by the Narcotics Section on a 32nd Judicial District Court warrant alleging racketeering. Durden continues to be incarcerated at the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center.

--Tirquener Francois, 48, Morgan City, was arrested at 2:52 p.m. Monday by the Narcotics Section on a charge of possession of crack cocaine, possession of synthetic cannabinoids and possession of drug paraphernalia. Bail has not been set at this time.

--Lionell Loyal Granger Jr., 59, Amelia, was arrested at 12:14 p.m. Monday on a charge of violation of protective orders. Granger was released on a $12,000 bond.

--Blair Chauvin, 36, Houma, was arrested at 12:05 p.m. Monday on a warrant alleging possession of drug paraphernalia and on an MCPD warrant for prostitution. Bail was set at $5,250

--Bryson Skinner, 20, Morgan City, was arrested at 7:53 p.m. Monday by the Narcotics Section on a warrant alleging failure to secure registration; proper equipment or display of plate required on vehicle; operating a vehicle while license is suspended; general speed law; and resisting an officer by flight.

Skinner also held an active MCPD warrant for driver must be licensed. Bail has not been set at this time.

Franklin

Chief Cedric Handy reported these arrests:

--Michelle Brown, 52, Eighth Street, Franklin, was arrested at 11:11 a.m. Monday on a charge of resisting an officer with force. Brown was booked, processed and transported to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center.

--Jakyius Payton, 20, Martin Luther King Boulevard, Franklin, was arrested at 11:23 a.m. Monday on a warrant dated July 4 alleging aggravated assault, and a warrant for 3rd Ward City Court alleging failure to appear on a charge of disturbing the peace. Payton was booked, processed and held on a $1,818 bond.

--Deondric Butler, 29, Ninth Street, Franklin, was arrested at 2:40 p.m. Tuesday on a warrant dated Jan. 4 alleging two counts of simple battery, disturbing the peace and simple criminal damage to property.

Butler was booked, processed and released on a $7,000 bond.

--Carl Dupas, 60, Iberia Street, Franklin, was arrested at 2:49 p.m. Tuesday on charges of aggravated assault, resisting an officer, possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. Dupas was additionally arrested on a warrant alleging parole violation.

Dupas was booked, processed, and held with no bond set at the time of press release.

--Hailee Henslee, 33, Irish Bend Road, Franklin, was arrested at 8:36 p.m. Tuesday on a warrant for 3rd Ward City Court alleging failure to appear on the charge of simple assault. Henslee was booked, processed and held on a $318 bond.

Morgan City police radio logs for July 9

Wed, 07/10/2024 - 11:56am

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 9
7:07 a.m. 100 block of Youngswood Road; Alarm.
8:13 a.m. 500 block of Orange Street; Harassment.
9:04 a.m. 200 block of Belanger Street; Animal complaint.
9:32 a.m. 900 block of Duke Street; Suspicious person.
10:11 a.m. Jacquet Homes; Frequent patrol.
10:45 a.m. 600 block of Second Street; Animal complaint.
10:48 a.m. 1000 block of Levee Road; Medical.
11:46 a.m. 200 block of Everett Street; Alarm.
11:54 a.m. 600 block of Fourth Street; Medical.
12:01 p.m. 1500 block of Chestnut Drive; Disturbance.
1:05 p.m. 200 block of Arizona Street; Complaint.
1:12 p.m. 400 block of Sixth Street; Theft.
3:07 p.m. 700 block of David Drive; Assistance.
3:52 p.m. 300 block of Iowa Street; Complaint.
4:45 p.m. 1500 block of Filmore Street; Welfare check.
6:47 p.m. Idaho Street; Suspicious person/vehicle.
7:04 p.m. 2300 block of La. 70; Complaint.
7:57 p.m. U.S. 90; Vehicle accident.
8:18 p.m. 200 block of Arizona Street; Suspicious person/vehicle.
8:41 p.m. 1100 block of North Victor II Boulevard; Alarm.
9:37 p.m. 1000 block of Victor II Boulevard; Complaint.
10:03 p.m. 100 block of Glenwood Street; Complaint.
10:23 p.m. 1100 block of Marguerite Street; Complaint.
10:48 p.m. 1100 block of Dora Street; Complaint.
11:04 p.m. 500 block of Brashear Avenue; Complaint.

Jim Brown: Louisiana and presidential immunity

Wed, 07/10/2024 - 10:47am
JIM BROWN

These days, it’s hard to find a political controversy on the national stage that does not, in some way, involve Louisiana.
You may be surprised to know that a lawsuit involving land in the Bayou State, and fought out in Louisiana courts, set the precedent of presidential immunity that was the basis of the recent Supreme Court decision giving presidents “absolutely immunity” from prosecution for any “official act.”
Edward Livingston had been a congressman during the time that Thomas Jefferson was the nation’s president.
Jefferson confiscated land in Louisiana from Livingston, claiming it was federal property, and Livingston was furious.
He sued Jefferson personally and was successful in winning his case against Jefferson in Louisiana courts.
These courts ruled that presidents cannot be above the law.
But the U.S. Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice John Marshall, disagreed, saying that a president could not be sued for actions he performed in his official capacity as president.
I know a good bit about being sued in the legitimate capacity of a public official. I have not checked all the state records, but I might have been sued more as a public official than anyone else in Louisiana public office. Here’s the story.
I was elected as Louisiana insurance commissioner in 1991, and when I took office the insurance department was in shambles.
The previous commissioner had been removed from office for allowing a number of insurance companies to illegally siphon off millions of dollars that should have been reserved for policyholders.
As commissioner, I shut down 45 financially troubled companies.
Knowing that officers of these companies faced major civil and criminal penalties, they pushed the blame of their companies going broke onto the Insurance Department.
Of course, this was really a ruse to buy time.
I was sued both in my capacity as insurance commissioner and also sued personally.
The courts, of course, determined that I had no personal liability, and no judgment nor any other penalties were levied against me or the Insurance Department.
Giving a public official immunity for any actions taken in the official capacity is basically how the Supreme Court ruled just last week. This is viewed by a number of political observers as a victory for former President Donald Trump.
In fact, the court rejected Trump’s assertion that all presidential acts have absolute immunity. The court put the brakes on all actions by a president or former president that would make him immune from criminal prosecution.
Here are a few examples of official vs unofficial actions:
Paying off a porn star and deducting such payment as a legal expense would certainly not be an action for which a president could claim immunity.
How about withholding classified documents once a president leaves the White House? That’s more of a close call.
If there was a demand that the documents be returned to the national archives, Trump should have complied.
But did it require SWAT teams and armed federal agents to swoop down on Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida to bring them back? This looked to me like overkill. 
Calling the Georgia secretary of state asking him to find 11,000 more votes that would have allowed Trump to carry Georgia? It depends on what Trump was asking.
Was he suggesting that the secretary of state illegally add more votes to the Georgia totals?
Or was he merely asking that every effort be made to be sure that every single vote had been counted because Trump needed 11,000 more votes to carry the state?
I think the Georgia prosecutor has a big hill to climb to make her charges stick.
In an 1812 letter to Thomas Jefferson, President John Adams wrote:
“Good God! Is a President of the US subject to a private action of every individual? This will soon introduce the Axiom that a President can do no wrong; or another equally curious that a President can do no right.”
The Supreme Court, in its recent ruling, did not define “official” or “private” action.
So whatever people think of its decision, this matter is going to wind itself through the courts for years to come.
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.

Public notices for July 10, 2024

Wed, 07/10/2024 - 6:00am

mmm

LEGAL NOTICE
Minutes -
June 4, 2024
Council Meeting
City of Patterson, Louisiana
The Mayor and Council of the City of Patterson, Louisiana meeting was held on Tuesday, June 4, 2024. The meeting was held at 6:00 p.m. in the council meeting room at 1314 Main Street.
Mayor Rodney Grogan presided over the meeting.
Mayor Rodney Grogan called the Council Meeting to order.
Mayor Pro Tem Lee Condolle with One Faith Fellowship led the invocation.
Mayor Grogan led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Mayor Grogan asked for a moment of silence for Mr. Cyrus Gray, Jr., who passed away on May 21, 2024.
Midge Bourgeois, City Clerk, called the Roll. Councilmembers Mamie Perry, Miranda Weinbach, and Mayor Pro Tem Lee Condolle were present. Councilmember Ray Dewey was absent. Council- member DeMale Bowden arrived at 6:20 p.m.
C.J. Franklin from Providence Engineering, Holden Murray, Chief Garrett Grogan, and City Attorney Russel Cremaldi were in attendance.
A motion was made by Mayor Pro Tem Lee Condolle and seconded by Councilmember Mamie Perry to dispense with the reading and ap- prove the May 7, 2024, minutes. Councilmembers Mamie Perry, Miranda Weinbach, and Mayor Pro Tem Lee Condolle voted yes. Councilmembers Ray Dewey and DeMale Bowden are absent.
There were no public comments.
With the EBP Awards Benefit, Efrem Randle was recognized for giving back to the community by giving scholarships to high school seniors. He wanted to provide the kids with an opportunity to advance in any way they could. Mr. Randle came to Patterson, spoke with Mayor Grogan, and ad- vised that he wanted to give a scholarship to a Patterson High School senior. He gave out five scholarships worth $1000 per scholarship. He also contributed money to the Head Start programs in St. Mary Parish. Mayor Grogan an- nounced that Mr. Randle is also a boxer and will introduce boxing to the community, where he plans on having his first boxing match in March 2025. A Key to the City was presented to Mr. Randle by Mayor Grogan and the city council. A round of applause was given to Mr. Randle for all he does for the youth.
Tyler Jones with Until the End (UTE) Elite Basketball team was a no-show.
Cody Blanco, resident of Jake Street, was wondering when Jake Street will be paved, for he be- lieves Jake St. and Shady Grove were on the project list where Shady Grove was paved. He advised he is trying to figure out the status of Jake Street. Mayor Grogan advised that Shady Grove, Hickory St, and Laws Street were overlayed, not pav-ed. Mayor Grogan presented to Mr. Blanco and the city council a printout of all the streets in Patterson that need to be overlayed. The roads were prioritized, and Jake St is last on the list, for this street comes out to a cost of $82,620.00, and the total of all the roads comes out to a million dollars. Mayor Grogan stated that they are trying to find the funds for the streets, but if funds were to be given today, Jake Street would not qualify. It has to be in the poorest area, for the previous funds were used for these areas. Mayor Grogan hopes that grant funding for roads will come up soon; we could apply so all these roads can be re- paired due to breakage and old infrastructure. Mayor Grogan ad- vised that the prioritizing is based on the number of people living on the street and not the value of home.
Councilmember DeMale Bowden arrives at 6:20 p.m.
A motion was made by Councilmember Mamie Perry and seconded by Councilmember Miranda Weinbach to adopt The Morgan City Daily Review as the Official Municipal Journal for the period beginning July 1, 2024, and ending June 30, 2025. Council- members DeMale Bowden, Jr., Mamie Perry, Miranda Weinbach, and Mayor Pro Tem Lee Condolle voted yes. Councilmember Ray Dewey was absent.
Mayor Grogan stated that there was a Proclamation signing for Delta Sigma Theta Sorority May Week. The ladies came in early to have the signing and do the photo shoot. Mayor Pro Tem Lee Condolle motioned to accept the Proclamation for Delta Sigma Theta Sorority May Week, which Councilmember Miranda Weinbach seconded. Councilmembers De- Male Bowden, Jr., Mamie Perry, Miranda Weinbach, and Mayor Pro Tem Lee Condolle voted yes. Councilmember Ray Dewey was absent.
Councilmember Mamie Perry motioned to accept the Resolution of Respect for Mrs. Cathy Grimm-Eaves., seconded by Councilmember DeMale Bowden. Councilmembers DeMale Bowden, Jr., Mamie Perry, Miranda Weinbach, and Mayor Pro Tem Lee Condolle voted yes. Councilmember Ray Dewey was absent.
Mayor Pro Tem Lee Condolle motioned and was seconded by Councilmember Miranda Weinbach to accept the Resolution of Respect for Mr. Charles Sawyer, a formal council member for the City of Patterson. Councilmembers DeMale Bowden, Jr., Mamie Perry, Miranda Weinbach, and Mayor Pro Tem Lee Condolle voted yes. Councilmember Ray Dewey was absent.
Judy Daigle with Louisiana Rural Water Association presented a PowerPoint presentation on the rate study for the City of Patterson. We were advised to go up on rates because we are losing money. An in- troduction of Ordinance 2024-06 amending rates for water service within Municipal Boundaries are $22.13 flat rate and $9.23 per 1000 gallons after the first 2000 gallons commencing August 1, 2025, with Outside Municipal Boundaries being $25.50 flat rate and $9.54 per 1000 gallons after the first 2000 gallons commencing August 1, 2025. Councilmember Mamie Perry made the motion to amend the rates for water service, and Mayor Pro Tem Lee Condolle seconded the mo- tion. Councilmembers DeMale Bowden, Jr., Mamie Perry, Miranda Weinbach, and Mayor Pro Tem Lee Condolle voted yes. Councilmember Ray Dewey was absent. An Introduction of Ordinance 2024-06A amending rates for sewer service for residential customers are $14.83 flat rate and $7.97 per 1000 gallons after the first 2000 gallons commencing August 1, 2025, with commercial customers being $20.76 flat rate and $10.34 per 1000 gallons after the first 2000 gallons commencing August 1, 2025. Councilmember Miranda Weinbach made the motion to amend the rates for sewer service, and Councilmember DeMale Bow-den seconded the motion. Council- members DeMale Bowden, Jr., Mamie Perry, Miranda Weinbach, and Mayor Pro Tem Lee Condolle voted yes. Councilmember Ray Dewey was absent. Russel Cremaldi advised that a Resolution on raising Utility Fees be introduced at the July council meeting.
Chief Grogan had no comments.
Fire Chief Scott Hutton advised that the fire de- partment has a new program, and they are still figuring out specific reports on this program. He will send the report to the council monthly for their council meeting.
William Gil said he would advise the next Planning and Zoning meeting date. They will post a 15-day notification for a non- conforming variance for a crawfish pond at the end of Tiffany Street be- hind the apartments. A public notice has to be posted 15 days before the meeting.
Ronald Davis had no comments.
Sharon Gillum, Water Plant Su- pervisor, advised the council that the Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) has been completed. It will be posted on the city’s website and in the newspaper. The city scored a “B”.
Russel Cremaldi, City Attorney, had no comments.
C.J. Franklin from Providence Engineering provided an update. Mr. Franklin mentioned that they are still working on the sewer lift stations and are waiting for some parts to arrive. However, they have completed the CCTV inspection and expect to have the report ready in the next couple of weeks, which will be presented to the council. He anticipated that there would be some action items to address. In response to Mayor Grogan’s question about the condition of Mill Rd amidst the heavy rain, the engineer reported that there was no improvement and that the rain was not being handled well. They have conducted thorough inspections and identified is- sues, so they plan to schedule a discussion to review their findings. Additionally, the city did not receive the Natural Gas grant but intends to reapply. The deadline for resubmission is June 20, 2024. Mr. Franklin also mentioned that Natalie Eckstrom, a grant writer with LITA Corp, will assist the city with funding resubmitting.
Holden Murray announced that the City of Patterson will be featured in the Na- tional Press through the Na- tional League of Cities for the small city month. He advised that south of the rail in Patterson is considered a food desert. He and Mayor Pro Tem Lee Condolle will have a virtual conference with the National League of Cities tomorrow. Mr. Murray announced that the Outreach Department is doing their annual box fan drive; the fans can be dropped off at City Hall. These fans are distributed among the area’s senior citizens and disabled citizens.
Beverly Do- mengeaux an- nounced that the St. Mary Council of Aging is having a fan drive and thanked everyone for always pitching in to help. Ms. Domengeaux also announced that the annual St. Mary Council of Aging meeting is in October.
There being no further business to come before the Mayor and Council, Mayor Pro Tem Lee Condolle made a motion to ad- journ, seconded by Councilmember Mamie Perry. The Council unanimously agreed. Councilmembers DeMale Bowden, Jr., Mamie Perry, Miranda Weinbach, and Mayor Pro Tem Lee Condolle voted yes. Councilmember Ray Dewey was absent.
———————
Rodney A. Grogan, Mayor
———————
Midge Bourgeois, City Clerk
Adv. July 10, 2024
'
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LEGAL NOTICE
ORDINANCE NO. 2024 – 06
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING RATES FOR WATER
SERVICE
BE IT OR- DAINED by the Mayor and Council of the City of Patterson, Louisiana in session assembled, that the charges to be paid by consumers for water service from the municipal water system shall be as follows:
RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS
Within Municipal Boundaries
A. 2024 - $22.13 flat rate and $9.23 per 1000 gallons after first 2000 gallons;
B. Commencing August 1, 2025, and on the same day of each successive year thereafter, the rates in effect on that date shall automatically be increased annually by the amount which the Consumer Price Index CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor has increased from July 1 of the applicable previous year to July 1 of the applicable present year. All flat rate increase provisions in effect at the time of the introduction of this ordinance shall remain in effect until August 1, 2024.
Outside Municipal Boundaries
A. 2024 - $25.50 flat rate and $9.54 per 1000 gallons after first 2000 gallons;
B. Commencing August 1, 2025, and on the same day of each successive year thereafter, the flat rate shall automatically be increased annually by the amount which the Consumer Price Index CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor has increased from August 1 of the applicable previous year to July 1 of the applicable present year. All flat rate increase provisions in effect at the time of the introduction of this ordinance shall remain in effect until August 1, 2024.
COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS
Within Municipal Boundaries
A. 2024 - $42.28 flat rate and $12.57 per 1000 gallons after first 4000 gallons;
B. Commencing August 1, 2025, and on the same day of each successive year thereafter, the rates in effect on that date rate shall automatically be in- creased annually by the amount which the Consumer Price Index published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) has increased from August 1 of the applicable previous year to July 1 of the applicable present year. All flat rate increase provisions in effect at the time of the introduction of this ordinance shall remain in effect until August 1, 2024.
Outside Municipal Boundaries
A. 2024 - $49.01 flat rate and $13.25 per 1000 gallons after first 4000 gallons;
B. Commencing August 1, 2025, and on the same day of each successive year thereafter, the rates in effect on that date shall automatically be increased annually by the amount which the Consumer Price Index CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor has increased from August 1 of the applicable previous year to July 1 of the applicable present year. All flat rate increase provisions in effect at the time of the introduction of this ordinance shall remain in effect until August 1, 2024.
This ordinance shall become effective immediately upon publication.
The foregoing was introduced by Councilmember Mamie Perry and seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Lee Condolle, at the regular monthly meeting of the Patterson City Council on June 4, 2024.
The foregoing was offered for adoption by Councilmember DeMale Bowden, who mov-ed its adoption, seconded by Councilmember Ray Dewey, and being read and considered section by section, the Ordinance was submitted to vote with the results as
follows:
YEAS: DeMale Bowden, Lee Condolle, Ray Dewey, Mamie Perry, Miranda Weinbach
NAYS: NONE
ABSENT: NONE
WHEREUPON, the Ordinance was declared adopted on this 2nd day of July, 2024.
———————
Rodney A. Grogan,
Mayor
ATTEST:
———————
Midge Bourgeois,
City Clerk
Adv. July 10, 2024

mmm

LEGAL NOTICE
ORDINANCE NO. 2024 – 06A
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING RATES FOR SEWER
SERVICE
BE IT OR- DAINED by the Mayor and City Council of the City of Patterson, Louisiana, in regular session assembled that the charges to be paid by consumers for sewer service from the municipal sewer system shall be as follows:
RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS
A. 2024- $14.83 flat rate and $7.97 per 1000 gallons after first 2000 gallons;
B. Commencing August 1, 2025, and on the same day of each successive year thereafter, the rate in effect on that date shall automatically be increased annually by the amount which the Consumer Price Index CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor has increased from July 1of the applicable previous year to July 1 of the applicable present year. All flat rate increase provisions in effect at the time of the introduction of this ordinance shall remain in effect until August 1, 2024.
COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS
A. 2024- $20.76 flat rate and $10.34 per 1000 gallons after first 2000 gallons;
B. Commencing August 1, 2025, and on the same day of each successive year thereafter, the rate in effect on that date shall automatically be increased annually by the amount which the Consumer Price Index CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor has increased from July 1 of the applicable previous year to July 1 of the applicable present year. All flat rate increase provisions in effect at the time of the introduction of this ordinance shall remain in effect until August 1, 2024.
This ordinance shall become effective immediately upon publication.
The foregoing Ordinance was in- troduced by Councilmember Miranda Weinbach and seconded by Councilmember DeMale Bowden, at the regularly scheduled meeting of the City Council of the City of Patterson on the 4th day of June, 2024.
The foregoing Ordinance was offered by Councilmember Mamie Perry, who moved its adoption, seconded by Councilmember Lee Condolle, and being read and considered section by section, the Or- dinance was submitted to vote with the results as follows:
YEAS: DeMale Bowden, Lee Condolle, Ray Dewey, Mamie Perry, Miranda Weinbach
NAYS: ——————————
ABSENT: ————————
WHEREUPON, the Ordinance was declared adopted on this 2nd day of July, 2024.
———————
RODNEY A.
GROGAN,
MAYOR
ATTEST:
———————
CITY CLERK
Adv. July 10, 2024

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LEGAL NOTICE
ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS
The St. Mary Parish Government, St. Mary Parish, Louisiana, acting through its President, Sam Jones, will receive sealed bids for the Asphaltic Concrete Overlay of Lake Palourde Road project, at the St. Mary Parish Courthouse Council Meeting Room, Fifth Floor, Franklin, Louisiana 70538, until July 23, 2024, at 10:00 A.M., local time, at which time and place, they will be publicly opened and read aloud. Bids re- ceived after the time set forth above for opening of bids will not be considered and will be returned unopened.
The Contract Documents (Plans, Information for Bidders, Bid Form, Specifications, and other pertinent documents) may be examined at the following locations:
•Miller Engineers & Associates, Inc. – 601 Main Street; Franklin, Louisiana 70538
•St. Mary Parish Purchasing Agent’s Office – Fifth Floor, Courthouse Building; Franklin, Louisiana 70538
Copies of the bidding documents may be obtained from the office of Miller Engineers and Associates, Inc. upon receipt of $250.00 for each set during normal business hours (7:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M. Monday – Thursday and 7:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M. Friday). Checks for Bidding Documents shall be made payable to “Miller Engineers & Associates, Inc.”. In accordance with La. R.S. 38:2212.D, deposits on the first set of documents furnished prime bidders shall be fully re- funded upon re- turn of the documents no later than ten days after receipt of bids. On other sets of documents furnished to bidders, the deposit less the actual cost of reproduction shall be re- funded upon re- turn of the documents no later than ten days after receipt of bids. Refunds will be made upon return of the documents unmarked and in good condition if within ten days after receipt of bids.
Official bid documents can be downloaded from Central Bidding at www.centralbidding.com. Electronic bids can be submitted to www.centralbidding.com. For any questions relating to the electronic bidding process, please call Central Bidding at (225) 810-4814.
There will be no pre-bid conference for this project. Bidders are re- sponsible for making site visitations in preparation of their bids.
To qualify to bid, each bidder shall be a properly licensed Contractor in accordance with La. R.S. 37:2150 – 2163 for the classification of HIGHWAY, STREET & BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION or related classification.
The Owner re- serves the right to reject any and all bids in accordance with Title 38 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes.
Each bidder must deposit with his/her bid, security in the amount, form and subject to the conditions provided in the Information for Bidders. Sureties used for obtaining bonds must appear as acceptable on the U.S. Department of Treasury Circular 570.
A bidder may withdraw their bid within forty-eight (48) hours of the bid opening, ex- cluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays as governed by La. R.S. 38:2214 (C).
Any questions or clarifications shall be submitted to the Project Engineer in writing a minimum of five (5) days prior to the bid opening date. Addenda will be issued to all prospective bidders a minimum of 72 hours prior to the bid opening date. Only information provided within written addenda issued by the Project Engineer shall be considered binding.
Any person with disabilities requiring special accommodations must contact the St. Mary Parish Government no later than seven (7) days prior to the bid opening.
/s/ Sam Jones
Sam Jones,
President
St. Mary Parish Government
Adv. June 26, July 3 and 10, 2024

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LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE FOR
PUBLICATION
STATE OF LOUISIANA
DIVISION OF
ADMINISTRATION
STATE LAND OFFICE
By virtue of and in conformity with the provisions of Louisiana Revised Statutes 41:1211, et seq., sealed bids will be accepted on or before the 19th day of July, 2024, at eleven o’clock a.m., for the sole purpose of constructing and maintaining a single habitable structure on the following described tract in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana, to wit:
A certain tract of State owned (nonsevered) land identified as Campsite Lot No. 13, Six Mile Lake Campsite Area, Old Bed Six Mile Lake, T15S, R11E, Louisiana Meridian
All bids must be forwarded by United States Mail to the State Land Office, Post Office Box 44124, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 70804 or delivered to 1201 North Third Street, Suite G-223, and must be accompanied by check or money order for full amount of first year’s rental of not less than Six Hundred Thirty-One and 00/100 ($631.00) Dollars per year for a term of ten (10) years.
The word BID and the DATE the bid is to be opened should be written on the outside of the envelope containing your bid so that it will not be opened with the regular mail.
The failure of the tenant to pay the rent punctually, or before the date upon which said rental shall fall due, shall ipso facto and without demand or putting in default terminate and cancel said lease.
THE RIGHT TO REJECT ANY AND ALL BIDS IS RESERVED.
CHESTON HILL
PUBLIC LAND ADMINISTRATOR
STATE LAND OFFICE
NOTE: SUCCESSFUL BIDDER MUST PAY THE ADVERTISING CHARGES.
Adv. July 3, 10 and 17, 2024

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LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE FOR
PUBLICATION
STATE OF LOUISIANA
DIVISION OF
ADMINISTRATION
STATE LAND OFFICE
By virtue of and in conformity with the provisions of Louisiana Revised Statutes 41:1211, et seq., sealed bids will be accepted on or before the 19th day of July, 2024, at eleven o’clock a.m., for the sole purpose of constructing and maintaining a single habitable structure on the following described tract in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana, to wit:
A certain tract of State owned (nonsevered) land identified as
Campsite Lot No. 17, Six Mile Lake Campsite Area,
Old Bed Six Mile Lake, T15S, R11E, Louisiana Meridian
All bids must be forwarded by United States Mail to the State Land Office, Post Office Box 44124, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 70804 or delivered to 1201 North Third Street, Suite G-223, and must be accompanied by check or money order for full amount of first year’s rental of not less than Six Hundred Thirty-One and 00/100 ($631.00) Dollars per year for a term of ten (10) years.
The word BID and the DATE the bid is to be opened should be written on the outside of the envelope containing your bid so that it will not be opened with the regular mail.
The failure of the tenant to pay the rent punctually, or before the date upon which said rental shall fall due, shall ipso facto and without demand or putting in default terminate and cancel said lease.
THE RIGHT TO REJECT ANY AND ALL BIDS IS RESERVED.
CHESTON HILL
PUBLIC LAND ADMINISTRATOR
STATE LAND OFFICE
NOTE: SUCCESSFUL BIDDER MUST PAY THE ADVERTISING CHARGES.
Adv. July 3, 10 and 17, 2024

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LEGAL NOTICE
OFFICIAL
PROCEEDINGS
WAX LAKE EAST DRAINAGE
DISTRICT
REGULAR MEETING
June 4, 2024
PATTERSON, LOUISIANA
The Wax Lake East Drainage District (“WLEDD”) met on this date with Chairman Jeffery LaGrange presiding and the following members present: Wayne Cantrell, Raymond Beadle, Jr., Bill Miller, Chris Cooper William Hidalgo, Jr. and Chad Ross.
Absent: None
Also present: Corey Aucoin, Su- pervisor; Joel Miller, Miller Engineering and Associates; Johnathan Miller, Giroir Mud-boats; Barry Du- frene, District’s Accountant and David Hill, Council Member
Mr. Ross moved that the reading of the minutes of the Regular Meeting, May 7, 2024, be dispensed with and that the same be approved. Mr. Beadle seconded the motion which carried.
Mr. Dufrene presented and discussed the prepared financial statements. Discussed actual re- sults vs budget for the current period and the year to date. Mr. Cantrell moved, and Mr. Cooper seconded a motion, which was carried, to accept the financial re- ports, payables re- port, authorize the Chairman to sign all necessary re- ports and to make all necessary transfers to cover payables.
There being no public comment, Mr. LaGrange moved onto Personnel Reports.
Mr. Aucoin gave the Supervisor’s report.
Mr. Miller gave a brief Engineering Report addressing the Calumet Pump Station Project stating that he is reviewing the oversight engineer’s report and making final revisions be- fore preparing to put out for bids. He will hold pre-bid onsite visit so that interested parties may see the haul in haul out routes as well as site.
Mr. Cantrell made a motion that was seconded by Mr. Hidalgo and carried by the board to adopt an investment policy in accordance with the provision of R.S. 33:2955(D), as enacted by Act. No. 374 and the guidelines as provided in R.S. 33:2955(A)(1).
Mr. Cantrell made a motion that was seconded by Mr. Cooper and carried by the board for current personnel policy to remain in place until Human Re- source professional is to develop new policy pertaining to district.
Mr. Ross made a motion that was seconded by Mr. Cantrell and carried by the board regarding change of resident agent for service of process address in current by-laws to be changed to Bourgeois Law Firm.
Mr. Cantrell made a motion that was seconded by Mr. Hidalgo and carried by the board to rescind action regarding the millage rate at the May 7, 2024 meeting
Mr. Ross offered the following Resolution, that was seconded by Mr. Cantrell, which states that:
RESOLUTION
BE IT RESOLV-ED, that the following millage(s) are hereby levied on the 2024 tax roll on all property subject to taxation by Wax Lake East Drainage District:
MILLAGES
Maintenance/Operations: 3.22 mills
Construction/Maintenance: 2.00 mills
Bonds: 1.45 mills
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the proper administrative officials of the Parish of St. Mary, State of Louisiana, be and they are hereby empowered, authorized, and directed to spread said taxes, as hereinabove set forth, upon the assessment roll of said Parish for the year 2024, and to make the collection of the taxes imposed for and on behalf of the taxing authority, ac- cording to law, and that the taxes herein levied shall become a permanent lien and privilege on all property subject to taxation as herein set forth, and collection thereof shall be enforceable in the manner provided by law.
The foregoing resolution was read in full, the roll was called on the adoption thereof, and the resolution was adopted by the following votes:
YEAS: Jeffery LaGrange, Wayne Cantrell, Bill Miller, Chad Ross, Raymond Beadle Jr., William Hidalgo, Jr. and Chris Cooper
NAYS: None
ABSTAINED: None
ABSENT: None
Mr. Beadle made a motion, which was seconded by Mr. Hidalgo and carried by the board inviting Mr. David Hill to remain present for executive session to discuss landowner’s demand pursuant to La. R.S. 42:17(A)(1)
Mr. Beadle made a motion to return to regular session. Mr. Ross seconded the motion which carried.
There being no further business Mr. Cantrell made a motion for ad- journment. Mr. Beadle seconded the motion which carried. Attest:
(S) Wayne Cantrell
Presiding Board member in the absence of Jeffery LaGrange, Chairman Wax Lake East Drainage District
(S) Rhonda
Patterson
Secretary Wax Lake East Drainage District
Adv. July 10, 2024

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LEGAL NOTICE
ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS
The Wax Lake East Drainage District of the Parish of St. Mary, St. Mary Parish, Louisiana, will receive sealed bids for the Proposed Pump Station and Discharge Pipe Over the West Atchafalaya Basin Protection Levee Near Calumet project, at the St. Mary Parish Courthouse Council Meeting Room, Fifth Floor, Franklin, LA 70538, until Au- gust 5, 2024, at 10 A.M., local time, at which time and place, they will be publicly opened and read aloud. Bids received after the time set forth above for opening of bids will not be considered and will be returned unopened.
The Contract Documents (Plans, Information for Bidders, Bid Form, Specifications and other pertinent documents) may be examined at the following locations:
•Miller Engineers & Associates, Inc. – 601 Main Street; Franklin, Louisiana 70538
Copies of the bidding documents may be obtained from the office of Miller Engineers and Associates, Inc. upon receipt of $250.00 for each set during normal business hours (7:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M. Monday – Thursday and 7:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M. Friday). Checks for Bidding Documents shall be made payable to “Miller Engineers & Associates, Inc.”. In accordance with La. R.S. 38:2212 A (1) (e), deposits on the first set of documents furnished bona fide prime bidders will be fully refunded up- on return of the documents and de- posits on any additional sets will be refunded less the actual cost of reproduction. Re- funds will be made upon return of the documents un- marked and in good condition if within ten days after receipt of bids.
Official bid documents can be downloaded from Central Bidding at www.centralbidding.com. Electronic bids can be submitted at www.centralbidding.com. For any questions relating to the electronic bidding process, please call Central Bidding at (225) 810-4814.
A mandatory pre-bid conference for this project will be held at Miller Engineers & Associates, Inc.’s office (601 Main Street, Franklin, LA) on July 22, 2024, at 10 A.M.
To qualify to bid, each bidder shall be a properly licensed Contractor in accordance with La. R.S. 37:2150 – 2163 for the classification of HEAVY CONSTRUCTION or related classification.
The Owner re- serves the right to reject any and all bids in accordance with Title 38 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes.
Each bidder must deposit with his/her bid, security in the amount, form and subject to the conditions provided in the Information for Bidders. Sureties used for obtaining bonds must appear as acceptable on the U.S. Department of Treasury Circular 570.
No bidder may withdraw their bid within forty-eight (48) hours after the actual date of the opening thereof.
Any questions or clarifications shall be submitted to the Project Engineer, Joel J. Miller, in writing a minimum of five (5) days prior to the bid opening date. Addenda will be issued to all prospective bidders a minimum of 48 hours prior to the bid opening date. Only information provided within written addenda issued by the Project Engineer shall be considered binding.
Any person with disabilities requiring special accommodations must contact the Wax Lake East Drainage District of the Parish of St. Mary no later than seven (7) days prior to the bid opening.
/s/ Jeffery LaGrange
Chairman
Wax Lake East Drainage District of the Parish of St. Mary
Adv. June 26, July 3 and 10, 2024

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LEGAL NOTICE
PUBLIC NOTICE
City of
Morgan City
Request for Qualifications
Engineering Services
The City of Morgan City is seeking the services of a qualified engineering firm or individual to provide en- gineering and re- lated services pertaining to the Natural Gas Distribution Infrastructure Safety and Modernization Project funded through the U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). The City is requesting Qualification Statements from qualified engineering firms or engineers to provide engineering and related services for the eligible project(s) funded through the PHMSA Program. The project in- cludes the replacement of approximately 63,617 feet of 4” PVC with PE gas piping. The re- quirement involves approximately one hundred seventy-five (175) different locations for boring and eight hundred twenty (820) service taps with pipe footage at the different locations ranging from three hundred feet (300’) to four thousand five hundred feet (4,500’). The service lines will be a minimum size of one inch (1”) with approximately ten percent (10%) be- ing two inch (2”) in diameter which will bring the pipeline system into compliance with pipeline safety 49 CFR 192.557.
All responses received will be evaluated in accordance with the selection criteria and corresponding point system.
Questions should be addressed to Charlie Solar, Jr. at (985) 385-1770.
Responses to this RFQ should be hand-delivered and/or mailed to Charlie Solar, Jr., CAO, City of Morgan City, PO Box 1218, Morgan City, LA 70381.
Responses to this RFQ must be received no later than 10:00 a.m., Friday, July 22, 2024.
The City of Morgan City is an Equal Opportunity employer. Small and/or minority owned firms, and women’s business enterprises are encouraged to participate.
Adv. June 19, 26 and July 10, 2024

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LEGAL NOTICE
PUBLIC NO- TICE — NOTICE TO BIDDERS The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) will be selecting eligible hunters to harvest alligators on certain Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs), Wetland Conservation Areas (WCAs), and State Wildlife Refuges located in various parishes based on a bid system. Successful bidders will be awarded the bid for one year (2024). Bid application notifications and forms can be printed from LDWF’s website at https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/page/alligator-hunting, be requested by phone at 337-735-8720, or ob- tained via email by contacting LAalligatorprogram@wlf.la.gov. Completed bid application forms must be received by 10:00 AM on July 16, 2024 in Room 1007 of the LDWF Office at 200 Dulles Drive, Lafayette, LA 70506. However, bidders are hereby notified that LDWF is not responsible for any delays caused by the bidder’s chosen method of bid delivery. Failure of the bid to reach Room 1007 by the designated time and date shall result in rejection of the bid. Bid opening will be on July 16, 2024 at 10:30 AM at the LDWF Lafayette Office, 1st Floor Conference Room #1002, 200 Dulles Drive, Lafayette, LA 70506. The public is permitted to attend. Selected bidders will be notified by phone.
Adv. June 19, 26, July 3 and 10, 2024

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LEGAL NOTICE
Louisiana Energy and Power
Authority
Request for Proposals (“RFP”) for Firm Capacity and Energy Products
Issue Date: July 1, 2024
Response Due Date: August 5, 2024
LEPA is issuing a Request for Proposals for Capacity and Energy Products (“RFP”) to solicit proposals from qualified en- tities (“Respondents”) for delivery of capacity and energy to supplement LEPA’s existing power supply portfolio for service to its Full Requirement Service Members.
LEPA is requesting proposals for supplying a maximum of 150 MW of capacity and energy in 50 MW capacity increments. Each increment shall have a term beginning June 1, 2025, and for a period of 5-years, 10-years, and/or 15-years.
For more information contact:
Mr. Joseph W. Rogers, P.E.
Legend Consulting Group Limited
jrogers@legendcgl.com
Adv. July 3, 10 and 17, 2024

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NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN by the St. Mary Parish Council in accordance with law that vacancies exist on the Board of Commissioners of Fire Protection District No. 7.
The St. Mary Parish Council will receive applications for the filling of these vacancies from this date until July 18, 2024, at Noon.
Qualifications for submitting of an application will be in compliance with Part I Chapter 7 Title 40 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, Section 40:1495 and 40:1496.
Applications may be mailed or personally submitted Monday-Friday between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and Noon and 1:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. 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 July 24, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. in the Council Meeting Room, Fifth Floor Courthouse, Franklin, Louisiana to fill these vacancies.
Adv. June 26 and July 10, 2024

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LEGAL NOTICE
SECTION A
ADVERTISEMENT FOR BID
The St. Mary Parish Government, St. Mary Parish, Louisiana, acting through its President, Sam Jones, will receive sealed bids for the Runway and Taxiway Overlay and Striping, Harry P. Williams Memorial Airport project, at the St. Mary Parish Courthouse Council Meeting Room, Fifth Floor, Franklin, Louisiana 70538, until Tuesday, August 6, 2024, at 2:00 P.M., local time, at which time and place, they will be publicly opened and read aloud. Bids received after the time set forth above for opening of bids will not be considered and will be returned unopened.
PROJECT NAME: RUNWAY AND TAXIWAY OVERLAY AND STRIPING
HARRY P. WILLIAMS AIRPORTS, PATTERSON, LA
APTIM Project No. 631025632
SPN # H.015185
TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION: Restoration sealing, pressure washing, restriping, and cold plaining runway and taxiway
CONTRACTOR LICENSING CLASSIFICATION: Highway, Street & Bridge Construction or Heavy Construction or Building Construction or Municipal and Public Works Construction
The Contract Documents (Plans, Information for Bidders, Bid Form, Specifications, and other pertinent documents) may be examined at the following locations:
•Aptim Environmental & Infrastructure, LLC – 1200 Brickyard Lane, Suite 202, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70802
•St. Mary Parish Purchasing Agent’s Office – 500 Main Street, Fifth Floor, Courthouse Building; Franklin, Louisiana 70538
Copies of the bidding documents may be obtained from the office of Aptim Environmental & Infrastructure, LLC upon receipt of $150.00 for each set during normal business hours with 48 hours advanced notice (7:30 A.M. – 5:00 P.M. Monday – Thursday and 8:00 A.M. – 11:00 A.M. Friday). Checks for Bidding Documents shall be made payable to “Aptim Environmental & Infrastructure, LLC”. In accordance with La. R.S. 38:2212.D, deposits on the first set of documents furnished prime bidders shall be fully re- funded upon re- turn of the documents no later than ten days after receipt of bids. On other sets of documents furnished to bidders, the deposit less the actual cost of reproduction shall be re- funded upon re- turn of the documents no later than ten days after receipt of bids. Refunds will be made upon return of the documents unmarked and in good condition if within ten days after receipt of bids.
Official bid documents can be downloaded from Central Bidding at www.centralbidding.com. Electronic bids can be submitted to www.centralbidding.com.
For any questions relating to the electronic bidding process, please call Central Bidding at (225) 810-4814.
A pre-bid meeting will be held at the Harry P. Williams Memorial Airport, Perry Flying Center, 3884 Airport Rd, Patterson, LA 70392, on July 31, 2024 at 10AM.
To qualify to bid, each bidder shall be a properly licensed Contractor in accordance with La. R.S. 37:2150 – 2163 for the classification of HIGHWAY, STREET & BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION or related classification.
The Owner re- serves the right to reject any and all bids in accordance with Title 38 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes.
Each bidder must deposit with his/her bid, security in the amount, form and subject to the conditions provided in the Information for Bidders. Sureties used for obtaining bonds must appear as acceptable on the U.S. Department of Treasury Circular 570.
A bidder may withdraw their bid within forty-eight (48) hours of the bid opening, ex- cluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays as governed by La. R.S. 38:2214 (C).
Any questions or clarifications shall be submitted to the Project Engineer in writing a minimum of five (5) days prior to the bid opening date. Addenda will be issued to all prospective bidders a minimum of 72 hours prior to the bid opening date. Only information provided within written addenda issued by the Project Engineer shall be considered binding.
Any person with disabilities requiring special accommodations must contact the St. Mary Parish Government no later than seven (7) days prior to the bid opening.
BIDDERS are hereby made aware that the Harry P. Williams Airport has a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program associated with all projects at the Airport. This program has a DBE goal of 6.3%. This program has been approved by the Department of Transportation – Federal Aviation Division and meets the standards set forth in 49 CFR Part 26.
OWNER: St. Mary Parish Government, Louisiana
By: /s/ Sam Jones
Sam Jones,
Parish President
St. Mary Parish Government
Adv. July 10, 17 and 24, 2024

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Dear Abby: Woman's male friends snub her fiance'

Wed, 07/10/2024 - 6:00am

DEAR ABBY: My fiancée has a number of male friends she has known for years. One of them stops off at her work, brings food and gifts, and may go out with her after hours. Another called her one evening and invited her out for drinks to celebrate his promotion.
At a recent party, another one had his hands on her back or shoulders whenever he spoke to her (she was wearing a silk blouse). Prior to that, she had left with him to go to the ATM holding his hand. At another party, I practically had to wrestle another “friend” away from her so I could sit next to her at dinner and later stand next to her for the group picture.
When I tell her I’m upset about this, especially that she is allowing it to go on, she tells me they have been friends for years and there is nothing sexual going on. (In fact, she says I’m the ONLY man she knows who thinks that way.) She says, “We’re all just touchy-feely.” Observing these goings-on, I don’t see any of her other male or female friends touching anyone else like this.
I would never touch another woman who was in a committed relationship. She insists it’s just me, and that if I say anything, she will be upset.
So, here I sit, stewing, while her supposedly non-sexual friends paw at her and vie for her attention. Advice?
SEETHING IN
NEW YORK

DEAR SEETHING: Yes. Your fiancée has made it plain that she doesn’t plan to change. This is why you should stop seething and end the engagement.
Unless you enjoy pain and anxiety, this isn’t the girl for you.

DEAR ABBY: I have one grandchild and another on the way. I have been struggling lately with all the rules and boundaries my children are placing on me. I realize that with the internet and the new parent courses, they are receiving more information than I ever did.
The latest issue is with my daughter who is due in a few months. We are very close, but suddenly she says I will need to shower and wear clean clothing before seeing her child. She’s afraid of third-hand smoke. I am, unfortunately, a smoker.
I would never smoke around her baby. I don’t even smoke in the house, but she has told me it’s her rule. I have read everything about third-hand smoke and haven’t found any statistics about the amount of exposure it would take to harm a baby.
I’m going to try to quit, but I think this is crazy. She hasn’t said anything about cleaning products, food or anything else. Am I wrong in thinking this is over the top?
SAD SMOKER
IN MASSACHUSETTS

DEAR SMOKER: As a longtime smoker, you are probably no longer aware of how unpleasant the smell of tobacco can be for nonsmokers. It clings to the smoker’s hair, skin, clothing and surroundings. You are entitled to think whatever you wish, but as you stated, this is your daughter’s rule, and if you are going to interact with that grandchild, you will have to respect it.
I truly hope you will be able to overcome your tobacco addiction and cuddle the baby. If you do, you will be doing all of you (including yourself) a favor.

***
To order “How to Write Letters for All Occasions,” send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $8 to: Dear Abby — Letter Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447.

What woes are lurking in your email inbox?

Wed, 07/10/2024 - 6:00am

How common is email anxiety? Experts reveal results and top tips for fearful users:
—The top concern for Americans is regretting sending an email, with over 250,000 searches for "unsending emails" a month.
—Research suggests a quarter of a million American users regret sending an email every month
—Gmail is the most confusing email provider, with the most support searches relative to its monthly traffic.
Every day, 8,382 emails in America are likely sent by mistake. At least, this is what transpires from a study based on Google searches about recalling emails. Virginia is the most email-anxious state, considering they have the highest number of email-related questions per capita. Meanwhile, American users are more confused about using Gmail than any other email provider.
This is according to new research from email marketing agency InboxArmy, which evaluated 1,875 of the most popular email-related search terms on Google in every U.S. state between April 1, 2023, and March 31, 2024. The study measures three aspects: concern basis, such as recalling or writing emails, attaching files or adding signatures; provider confusion, measuring support inquiries; and state-specific struggles, based on search volumes for all keywords within each individual state.
The emails
we dread most
America’s No. 1 email concern is recalling them. There are 251,488 monthly searches related to unsending emails. Assuming each of these searches counted as one unique user, then a quarter of a million people in America experience instant regret of sending an email every month, or 8,382 per day.
 Email signatures are the second biggest struggle. From setting them up and generating professional-looking ones to editing and managing them, automatic signatures spark 85,365 related Google searches every month.
 How to write any particular email content is America’s third most dreaded emailing concern. Across 64,626 monthly searches, 88% refer to writing out-of-office automatic replies. Many Americans are still trying to grasp the general structure of emails, with 499 Google searches related to formatting issues every month.
 Most confusing 
Of the most popular email providers, Gmail confuses American users the most, with 82,427 monthly searches for solutions on how it works. Considering its US monthly traffic is an estimated 31.6 million, Gmail sparks the most confusion with 2,609 monthly support-related searches per one million visits.
Microsoft Outlook is the second most confusing email provider in the U.S., despite also being the second most used platform in the country.
American users search for Outlook functionality questions 316,060 times a month. Relative to its traffic, this suggests that Outlook leads to 1,121 cases of confusion for every million monthly visits.
Interestingly, Americans are three times more likely to use Yahoo Mail than Microsoft’s Live Outlook, yet the latter appears to be 93 times more confusing.
 Outlook had around 282 million US visitors in March 2024, according to estimates based on SimilarWeb traffic data. This is three times less than Yahoo Mail’s traffic for the same period, which is estimated at 773 million. Still, Yahoo prompted 93 times fewer searches compared to Outlook, with just 3,406 functionality questions every month across the entire country about Yahoo, compared to Outlook’s 316,060.
In fact, Yahoo only seems to generate four functionality enquiries per one million visits. It is the second least confusing email provider for its users.
The most straightforward email provider in America is AOL. With a primarily American userbase bringing in 210 million visits every month, AOL only triggers two searches about how it works for one million visits per month.
 Volume-wise, Outlook has the most Google searches relating to its functionality. Gmail is the second most searched email provider, while Yahoo ranked third. This top three is consistent throughout every US state.

Jim Bradshaw: Two very different Klondikes

Wed, 07/10/2024 - 6:00am

\ As the family story is told, Samuel Marquart intended to find a fortune in the cold, rugged gold fields of the Yukon territory of northwestern Canada.
He was trying to get through a mountain pass between Alaska and Canada when he ran into a powerful snowstorm that convinced him he was meant for warmer climes.
Samuel was part of a stampede of prospectors who dreamed of finding a fortune after gold was discovered near Canada’s Klondike River in 1896.
Instead, according to a reminiscence by his great-grandchild Diane Marquart Moore, “when he encountered heavy snow at White Horse Pass [near the boundary of Alaska and British Columbia], he turned back without any regrets.”
Instead of moving to the Klondike River, he moved to the Mermentau.
He was from Iowa, but had seen the possibilities in South Louisiana well before the gold bug bit him. According to his obituary in the Jennings Daily News, “In 1889 he and his nephew, Dan W. Marquart, moved to Lake Arthur … where they bought an interest in the Lake Arthur Town Lot and Land Company.”
Samuel and E. L. Lee bought out three other partners in 1890 and the two of them “finished laying out the town of Lake Arthur and did a general real estate business until 1895, when they divided their interests in the town.”
Samuel may have heard about the charms of South Louisiana from Sylvester “Father” Cary or one of his apostles.
Cary was the prime mover in creating an “Iowa Colony” of thousands of farm families who came to southwest Louisiana after the railroad crossed the townless prairies in 1880. Southern Pacific vigorously courted settlers who would use its trains to ship crops from the sparsely populated prairies.
“The flatlands surrounding Lake Arthur must have reminded Samuel of the Iowa prairie, and when he arrived there, he immediately bought a tract of rice land, irrigated it with large steam pumps, bought more land, sold all of it, and, with a business partner named Lee, created the plan for the town of Lake Arthur.
At one time, he owned the majority of the property in Lake Arthur,” Diane recorded.
The Jennings obituary said Samuel  moved back to Iowa in 1897 “due to his wife’s poor health” and took his ill-fated stab at finding gold in 1898.
His wife died in 1901 and Samuel returned to Lake Arthur in 1903 to become the first president of the First National Bank of Lake Arthur and return to real estate dealings.
According to Diane’s account, his land deals “ made money much faster than he could have made digging for gold.”
According to his obituary, “Mr. Marquart was a very generous and public-spirited man admired for his sterling character by all who knew him. He was always ready to take a leading part in any enterprise for the up-building of the community, such as schools, churches, railroads, public park, etc.
"He donated to the town … City Park and Orange Park … [and] never refused aid or help to anyone who showed a willingness to better themselves. He advanced the means for many a person for obtaining an education who otherwise would have been unable to do so.
“He was strictly temperate in all things — except work — and was very energetic up until his last few years.”
He was Lake Arthur’s oldest resident when he died in May 1923 at the age of 84.
He was buried in his old home at Fontenelle, Iowa, “where he had made preparations for his burial beside his first wife.”
His succession lists dozens of town lots and several larger parcels of property that he held in and around Lake Arthur, possibly including an area southeast of Lake Arthur sometimes referred to as Klondike.
My maps do not show a community by that name, but in September 2022, the Jeff Davis Electric Co-Op reported outages in an area it called Klondike, and there is a Klondike Drainage Canal southeast of Lake Arthur. Diane wondered whether “the land … had been one of Samuel Marquart’s holdings, which he had named after the site of his failed search for gold.”
I can think of no other reason for part of balmy, marshy south Louisiana to be named after a frozen, mountainous part of Canada.
You can contact Jim Bradshaw at jimbradshaw4321@gmail.com or P.O. Box 1121, Washington LA 70589.

Wheel House for July 10

Wed, 07/10/2024 - 6:00am

PRAYER
BREAKFAST
9 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 10, at New Salem Baptist Church, 1412 Cherry St., Patterson. Guest speaker the Rev. Richelle Lewis-Castine from Zion Chapel AME Church.

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