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Jeremy Callais, formerly of M C Bank, has been appointed chair of the American Bankers Association’s Community Bankers Council for the 2023-2024 membership year. He previously served on the Council’s Administrative Committee.
Callais is the president of Peoples Bank of East Tennessee, a $360 million asset bank based in Tennessee and established in 1997. Peoples Bank of East Tennessee prides itself on providing every customer in the community with the latest technology and products, including free online banking, ATM, debit and credit services, and flexible operating hours. Since 2021, Callais has helped implement this core philosophy and continues the expansion of the bank, which originally started with 18 employees, to over 100 staff members in 10 locations.
“It is an honor to serve as chair of ABA’s Community Bankers Council this year and work with my peers on issues affecting community banks and the customers they serve,” said Callais. “This role allows me to collaborate with other bankers and develop hands-on solutions to help community banks better meet customers’ needs.” 
Callais, who chaired the ABA Community Bankers Council meeting November 13-15, said the bankers discussed public policy, operations, and business issues that might impact the nation’s hometown banks and their communities. Bankers discussed legislative priorities, including the ACRE Act, Credit Card Competition Act, and SAFER Banking Act; regulatory issues, including Section 1033 of the Dodd-Frank Act; debit card interchange fees; and the Administration’s executive order on artificial intelligence. Council members also had a chance to share ways high-interest rates have affected the banking industry and exchange ideas on deposit generation, loan growth, talent attraction and retention, and other business and operational best practices.
Before his time at Peoples Bank of East Tennessee, Callais was president of a M C Bank, where he also held positions of CFO and COO. He has also worked in a conversion training role for a core data processor.
Callais holds a master’s degree in education and attended both ABA’s National Compliance School and Stonier School of Banking. He currently resides in East Tennessee.

Winter is about to make its presence known, and with it comes many questions about protecting landscape plants, pipes and pets when the temperature drops.

LSU AgCenter professionals say everyone should pay attention to the forecasts to know ahead of time when freezing weather is approaching.

Carol Friedland, director of the LSU AgCenter LaHouse Research and Education Center, gives these tips to homeowners:

— Running just one faucet with a small trickle of water when temperatures are below freezing can prevent water freezing in your pipes.

— Use fiberglass or foam sleeves to wrap your outdoor faucets and secure that with tape or foil to prevent freezing. If you can’t find materials to wrap your faucets, household objects like old newspapers or rags can be used.

— Avoid using a gas stove or oven to heat your home, this can be dangerous.

— Stay near the interior parts of a home if you lose power. If you use a generator temporarily, never use one indoors, in your garage or under a carport.

AgCenter horticulturist Heather Kirk-Ballard provides information for taking care of the plants during a cold snap. She said when protecting plants, start by prepping your tropical and cold-sensitive potted plants.

“If temperatures begin to drop into the 30s, you need to get them indoors, in your garage, carport or protected in the corner of a patio,” she said.

For landscape plants, thoroughly water them before a freeze if the soil is dry. This is especially important for container-grown plants.

Shrubs in landscape beds also can be helped with irrigation prior to a freeze.

Keep in mind that your cool-season bedding plants are adapted to the cold temperatures that are normal in Louisiana during winter, so cold protection typically is not needed for them.

For plants growing in the ground, mulch them with a loose, dry material such as pine straw or leaves.

Mulches will only protect what they cover and are best used to protect below-ground parts and crowns.

Larger plants can be protected by creating a simple structure and covering it with sheets, quilts or plastic.

The structure holds the covering off the foliage, preventing broken branches and improving cold protection. It need be nothing more elaborate than driving into the ground three stakes slightly taller than the plant. The cover should extend to the ground and be sealed with soil, stones or bricks. Plastic covers should be vented or removed on sunny, warm days.

For severe freezes, like those expected next week, when temperatures dip into the teens, providing a heat source under the covering helps. A safe, easy way to do this is to generously wrap or drape the plant with small outdoor Christmas lights.

The lights provide heat but do not get hot enough to burn the plant or cover. Be careful to use only outdoor extension cords and sockets. If necessary, you may prune back a large plant to make its size more practical to cover.

Visit LaHouse in Baton Rouge to see sustainable landscape practices in action. The home and landscape resource center is near the intersection of Burbank Drive and Nicholson Drive (Louisiana Highway 30) in Baton Rouge across the street from the LSU baseball stadium. For more information, go to www.lsuagcenter.com/lahouse.

PUBLIC NOTICE
OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
GRAVITY
SUB-DRAINAGE DISTRICT NO. 1 OF GRAVITY DRAINAGE DISTRICT NO. 2
REGULAR MEETING
NOVEMBER 14, 2023
BAYOU VISTA, LOUISIANA
The Gravity Sub-Drainage Dis- trict No. 1 of Gravity Drainage District No. 2 (“GSDD1ofGDD2”) met on this date with Chairman Wayne Cantrell presiding with Gerald Hotard, Chad Ross, Mark Gowan and Raymond Beadle, Jr. present. Ab- sent: none
Also present: Alvin Lodrigue, District Super-visor; Jules Dar-den, Engineer of Miller Engineers and Associates; Barry Dufrene, District Accoun-tant; and David Hill, newly elected Parish Council Member
Mr. Gowan mov-ed, and Mr. Beadle seconded that the reading of the minutes of the Regular Meeting, October 10, 2023, be dispensed with and that the same be approved. The motion carried.
Mr. Cantrell called for the Fin-ances and Pay-ables Report. Mr. Dufrene presented the reports on the payables due for November 2023. Mr. Beadle moved, and Mr. Hotard seconded a motion, which carried, to make the necessary transfers, to accept the payables report and pay all invoices.
Mr. Cantrell called for any public comment to which Mr. Hill introduced himself as the newly elected Parish Council Member representing the District.
There were no additions to Mr. Lodrigue’s Per-sonnel Reports.
Mr. Darden reported that Miller Engineers has begun sending information re- quested by FEMA of more in-depth information of the surrounding area which will be affected by the Teche Road project. Mr. Darden expected to have some reports submitted at the end of November 2023.
Mr. Darden re- ported that The Ace Hardware project was added to the Capital Outlay project proposal for St. Mary Parish.
Mr. Ross made a motion that Mr. Gowan seconded and was carried by the board to authorize the Chairman, Mr. Cantrell to sign the Attes-tation Question-naire for the upcoming review of the financial records for the year ending September 30, 2023.
Mr. Ross made a motion that Mr. Beadle seconded and was carried by the board to renew the insurance package with Frank’s Agency.
There being no New Business, Mr. Cantrell called on Miss Siracusa to read aloud the following Public An- nouncement:
Notice is hereby given that at its meeting to be held on Tuesday, De- cember 12, 2023, at 6:00 p.m. at its regular meeting place, the Bayou Vista Recreation Building, 1300 South Road, Bayou Vista, Louisiana, the Board of Commissioners of Gravity Sub-Drainage District No. 1 of Gravity Drainage District No. 2 of the Parish of St. Mary, Louisiana, plans to consider a resolution ordering and calling an election to be held in Gravity Sub-Drainage District No. 1 of Gravity Drainage District No. 2 of the Parish of St. Mary, Louisiana to auth-orize the continuation of an ad valorem tax therein.
With no further business, Mr. Beadle moved to adjourn the meeting. Mr. Ross seconded the motion which carried.
Attest:
(S) Wayne Cantrell,
Chairman
Gravity Sub-Drainage District No. 1 of Gravity Drainage District No. 2
(S) Catherine Siracusa,
Secretary
Gravity Sub-Drainage District No. 1 of Gravity Drainage District No. 2
Adv. Jan. 12, 2024

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PUBLIC NOTICE
MINUTES OF THE REGULAR SESSION MEETING OF THE HOSPITAL SERVICE DISTRICT #2 OF THE PARISH OF ST. MARY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS HELD ON
DECEMBER 6, 2023
A regular monthly business meeting of the Board of Commissioners of the Hospital Service District #2 of the Parish of St. Mary was held on Wednesday, December 6, 2023 at 6:00 P.M. in the Media Room of the Morgan City Harbor & Terminal District Building located at 7327 Highway 182, Morgan City, LA 70380.
PRESENT: Dr. William A. Cefalu, Jr., Donald Stephens, Kendra Thomas, Angelena Brocato, Jackie Cheramie and William McCarty
ABSENT: Gary Stansbury, Sr.
Also present: William E. Bourgeois, Counsel for Hospital Service District #2
Dr. Cefalu called the meeting to order.
Dr. Cefalu lead in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Roll call was taken. Those Board Members present and those absent listed above.
Upon motion of Mrs. Thomas, second by Mrs. Brocato and unanimously carried, the Board approved and signed the Minutes of November 1, 2023.
Mrs. Cheramie presented the Fin- ancial Report for the period ending October 31, 2023. Upon motion of Mrs. Thomas, second by Mr. Stephens and unanimously carried, the Board ap- proved the financials/payables as presented. However Mrs. Cheramie stated that one item (Community Outreach invoice) will be discussed more in depth in Executive Session.
Dr. Cefalu open-ed the floor for Guest/public comments. Jennifer Wise, Chief Nursing Officer and CEO at Ochsner St. Mary (OSM) announced her appearance and that she had up- dates on Community Outreach and information on various matters regarding OSM. Mrs. Wise inform-ed the Board of the previous and upcoming community outreach events. She in- formed the Board of the recent marketing done for OSM and beginning in February a Urologist will be coming to OSM once per week from St. Anne=s in Raceland. She also advised that a Nurse Practitioner has been hired to help in the Family Practice Clinic and another Nurse Practitioner hired to help the General Surgeon in seeing post op patients. (Mr. Stephens excused himself from the meeting.) Mrs. Wise also stated that the nurses station in Behavior Health Department is being renovated. Further discussions were held. Mrs. Wise was then thanked for her presence and providing up- dates.
Dr. Cefalu re- minded the Board that their Ethics Training Course must be completed by the end of the year and their 2023 Annual Hospital Disclosure Statement must be submitted by January 31, 2024.
After a brief discussion, Dr. Cefalu announced the 2024 Hospital Service District #2 meeting dates as follows: January 3, February 7, March 6, April 3, May 1, June 5, July 3, August 7, September 4, October 2, November 6 and December 4.
Dr. Cefalu presented his Chairman=s Report. He stated that he will defer to the comments/information previously provided by Jennifer Wise regarding community outreach and the OSM updates. He stated that he is still waiting to hear from Pete November and his team regarding dates for a personal visit. Dr. Cefalu gave his medical update that RSV and flu are on the prowl and cautioned everyone to be careful and that hospitalizations have picked up.
Upon motion of Mrs. Thomas, second by Mrs. Brocato and unanimously carried, the Board voted to retire into Executive Session to discuss strategic planning pursuant to LA R.S. 46:1071, et seq. With no objections, all persons (OSM Staff) present at this time in the Meeting Room were allowed to stay since the Annual Architectural Re- view Report will be presented by Barry E. Lann.
Upon resuming from Executive Session and the public allowed to return into the meeting room. Attorney Bourgeois discussed the fact that the Grace Hebert annual architectural re- view was taken up in Executive Session and it was agreed that the contents of the report will be deferred as to how much of the information will be made public in conjunction with OSM.
With no other business to come before the Board, on motion of Mrs. Cheramie, second by Mrs. Thomas and unanimously carried, the meeting was adjourned.
———————
Dr. William A. Cefalu, Jr.,
Chairman
———————
Jackie Cheramie,
Secretary/Treasurer
Adv. Jan. 12, 2024

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PUBLIC NOTICE
Cleco Power LLC, LPSC Tariff No. 42, Renewable Power Producers Auxiliary Service Rider.
Pursuant to Article IV, Section 21(D)(1) of the Louisiana Constitution, notice is hereby given that on January 4, 2024, Cleco Power LLC (“Cleco” or “Company”) filed with the Louisiana Public Service Commission (“LPSC”) Original Electric Tariff No. 42, Renewable Power Producers Auxiliary Service Rider (“RPPA”), Original Rate Schedule – RPPA to be effective as of February 1, 2024.
Service under Rate Schedule – RPPA (the “Schedule”) will be available to renewable power producers that require auxiliary power for control rooms and ancillary equipment. The Schedule is applicable to renewable power producers commencing service after the effective date of the Schedule. The Schedule requires a minimum of 30 kilowatts of contract demand for which the Customer must contract under the terms of an Agreement for Service with the Company. The Customer will re- ceive service in accordance with Cleco Power’s Large Power Service (“LPS”) Rate Schedule and abide by the rate provisions of Rate Schedule – LPS and all applicable riders and all subsequent LPSC-approved changes, additions and up- dates, except as specifically modified by Rate Schedule – RPPA. Service furnished under Rate Schedule – RPPA is additionally subject to the Company’s Standard Terms and Conditions for Electric Service and all applicable rider schedules and adjustment clauses.
Rate Schedule – RPPA will apply in all parishes served by the Company. The twenty-four parishes through which Cleco Power’s service area extends are: Acadia, Allen, Avo-yelles, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Catahoula, DeSoto, Evangeline, Grant, Iberia, Jefferson Davis, La- Salle, Natchitoches, Rapides, Red River, Sabine, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Vermilion, Vernon and Washington.
For questions please call the LPSC toll free at (800) 256-2397. Additionally, the Company’s filing may be viewed in the Records Division of the LPSC at the following address:
Records Division
602 North 5th Street, 12th Floor
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
Telephone: (225) 342-3157
Adv. Jan. 12, 2024

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PUBLIC NOTICE
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the St. Mary Parish Board of Adjustments will hold a PUBLIC HEARING on MONDAY, February 5, 2024, AT 5:45 P.M. in the Parish Council Meeting Room, Fifth Floor Courthouse, Franklin, Louisiana, for the following purposes:
Glencoe Education Foundation Inc. DBA Glencoe Charter School for a Side yard Setback Variance to deviate from the required five (5) ft. to zero (0) ft. located in an Existing Neighborhood (EN1) Zoned District at 132 Chapel Lane, Franklin, LA-Sec. 27 T14S R8E; -Parcel Id# 1634764054.00-Lot Rem por Tract BD Glenco Plantatio-ML&TRR Switch-Glenco Pltn. Home Place Planting and Manufacturing Co-Bayou Cypt Acq. 100 292062.
All persons are invited to this meeting to submit their approval or objections to the above VARIANCE REQUEST.
St. Mary Parish
Board of Adjustments
Barry Druilhet, Chairman
Adv. Jan. 12, 19 and 26, 2024

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With a new year upon us, now is the time to sit down and reflect on last year and what you would like to do with your garden and landscape in 2024.
There are some consistent gardening trends across the U.S. They include alternative lawn options, water conservation, using less chemicals, more native and ecosystem service plants, edible landscape options referred to as edimentals, plants for smaller spaces and sustainable gardening practices.
These trends help combat the climate changes we have seen in the past decade. Last year was the hottest and driest on record for Louisiana. In addition, we are experiencing earlier and later freezes, and meteorologists are now talking about a polar vortex arriving later this month. Bottom line, people are gardening with a purpose, keeping the environment and unusual weather in mind.
First, people are looking for alternatives to traditional lawns, opting for more environmentally and ecologically sound choices that require less upkeep such as mowing, fertilizing and pesticide applications. Ecology lawns — ecolawns for short — replace grass with alternatives such as ground covers, herbaceous plants and other drought-tolerant and disease-resistant plants. Meadows have also seen a surge in popularity. These are typically planted with native wildflower seed mixes.
Additionally, water conservation remains important to home gardeners, and there are even more smart irrigation and water-wise gardening tricks for home gardeners. Smart yard technology can help gardeners conserve water. Options such as smart sprinkler controllers use up-to-the-minute weather info to water plants only when they really need it. Plus, with mobile apps, you can tweak and keep tabs on your watering schedule to save both water and money.
Gardens are also getting a boost from plants that do more than just look pretty. They’re all about supporting the whole ecosystem — think bees, birds, butterflies and other wildlife. Home gardeners are continuing to look for more local and native plants that provide important services to the ecosystem. The one downside to this is the lack of availability of native plants. By joining native plant societies and connecting with native plant groups on social media, you can find a network of people who gladly swap and share plants.
Edible landscapes are in, making gardens look good and taste good. A great way to minimize your inputs while maximizing your garden outputs is to use plants that are edible. Many fruit and vegetable plants not only provide food, but they are also very beautiful. When you garden this way, your yard becomes twice as valuable by adding beauty while putting food on the table too. Edible plants can be just as attractive with blooms that later yield fruit. Many edible tubers such as sweet potatoes have beautiful foliage that have been bred to also be used as an ornamental gardening plant.
Container gardening is still going strong, perfect for city dwellers and others with small spaces. Growing plants in containers can be convenient. For one thing, it makes your plants portable. Unlike plants in the ground, containers can be moved to the perfect location for their growth.
Additionally, planting trees is a great way to fight climate change. In recent years, there has been a big push for tree planting by local groups and nonprofits. Get in on the excitement by adding a new tree to your yard this year. If you don’t have much space, go for a slim, upright tree.
You also can get in on the action by participating in Arbor Day celebrations across Louisiana. If you are in the Baton Rouge area, join the LSU AgCenter for Arbor Day at Burden on Saturday, Jan. 20, as the Botanic Gardens at Burden collaborates with Baton Rouge Green from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Take part in planting your very own tree in the Burden Woods and monitor its growth using GPS coordinates. These newly planted trees play a vital role in reforesting the Burden Woods after previous hurricane seasons. Don’t miss Baton Rouge Green’s annual tree giveaway held in conjunction with Arbor Day.
In 2024, the essence of gardening lies in cultivating a space that is not only colorful and eco-friendly but also attuned to the needs of our changing climate. Reflecting on the previous year’s experiences serves as a valuable guide for planning a garden that is sustainable and full of life.