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DUSTIN LEE SHIRLEY

Fri, 01/12/2024 - 11:15am

December 29, 1977 — January 10, 2024
Dustin Lee “Dusty” Shirley, died unexpectedly Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024, at Piedmont Fayette Hospital in Peachtree City, GA. He was 46 years old.
A loving husband, father and generous provider, Dusty was a native of Morgan City and resident of Peachtree City, GA.
A 1995 graduate of Morgan City, LA High School and Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Dusty was an electrical engineer employed by the Federal Aviation Administration since his graduation from LSU with that degree in 2000.
Dusty is survived by his loving wife, Heather Nicol Shirley; and two heroic children, twins Grayson and Taylor Shirley, all three of Peachtree City, GA.
He also is survived by his parents, Steve and Jean Shirley; and a brother, Charlie Shirley, all of LaGrange, GA.
He was preceded in death by a brother, Andrew Lewis Shirley; and a stepbrother, Randall Paul Wiggins.
Visitation will be Friday, Jan. 19, 2024, beginning at noon at Mowell Funeral Home, 200 Robinson Road in Peachtree City, GA.
Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. at Westminster Memorial Gardens, 2090 Hwy. 54 in Peachtree City, GA, conducted by the Rev. Dr. Lamar Truitt of Lakeview Baptist Church in LaGrange, GA.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the American Heart Association chapter of your choice.
Mowell Funeral Home of Peachtree, GA, is in charge of arrangements.

Patterson council looks for ways to tighten budget

Fri, 01/12/2024 - 10:54am

PATTERSON — The City Council starts the new year with a budget hole that seems likely to make overtime harder to get for city employees, bring increased scrutiny for purchases and, maybe, lead to a return to a 36-hour work week.
At Tuesday’s City Council meeting, Chief Financial Officer Reginald Weary delivered the news: six months into the 2024 budget year, what was supposed to be $489,000 year-end surplus is now projected to be a $367,000 shortfall.
City governments are required to amend their budgets when major funds stray from the budget by 5% or more. So the budget will have to be amended, and so may the way the city government operates.
Engineering expenses accounted for the biggest single piece of the unexpected expenses, about $355,000.
Patterson did well in the Legislature’s capital outlay budget last session. The lawmakers earmarked $5 million for upgrades in its new water plant and about $2.4 million for upgrades in nine sewer system pump stations.
A federal grant is funding improvements in the city’s natural gas system.
But along with the state money came the need to draw up plans for the work. The bill for the engineering on the water plant improvements alone, covering work done over the last two years, was for more than $200,000 and was presented when the funding became available.
The water plant currently lacks enough storage, so the plant must run more frequently, increasing personnel and chemical costs. There are also leaks that lead to the loss of treated water.
The upgrade now underway includes storage.
The overtime associated with the water plant, and across other city departments, was also a concern Tuesday. Weary said overtime has cost the city about $60,000 through the first six months of the budget year.
Councilwoman Miranda Weinbach asked whether shifts could be staggered to avoid overtime at the water plant.
“I think it’s better than what we’re facing,” Councilman Ray Dewey Sr. said, “and what we’re facing is layoffs.”
Mayor Rodney Grogan raised the possibility of putting city employees on a 36-hour work week.
City employees were on 36-hour weeks until two years ago, Weary said, when the 40-hour work week was put back in place for everyone outside the administrative department. Employees there continued to work 36-hour weeks.
Weary also suggested putting aside 2% of utility revenue in a contingency fund.
Dewey and colleagues Mamie Perry and DeMale Bowden volunteered to serve as a budget committee to work with Grogan and Weary on budget solutions.
Grogan also encouraged Weary to scrutinize city spending. Weary said he’ll be back with a proposed budget amendment at the February council meeting.
Also Tuesday:
—The council approved the appointment of Charles McKinney to the Patterson Housing Authority Board. He will succeed the Rev. Richelle Castine, who is stepping down.
—The council approved plans for the New Age of Patterson Martin Luther King Day march Monday.
A King Day program is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Monday at New Salem Baptist Church, 1412 Cherry St., followed by the march to the Cherry Street Park.
—The council approved plans for the Krewe of Amani Lundi Gras parade at 2 p.m. Feb. 12, followed by a block party until 5:30 p.m.
—The council passed a resolution of respect for Joseph Foulcard, who served on the St. Mary Parish School Board for 28 years before his death Dec. 9.

Hidalgo keeps Parish Council chair; Rink is vice chair

Fri, 01/12/2024 - 10:51am

Gwendolyn Hidalgo of Bayou Vista will chair the St. Mary Parish Council for the next year and Dr. Kristi Prejeant Rink of Centerville will serve as vice chair after votes Wednesday at the council's first regular meeting of 2024.
They'll lead the council as it wrestles with what new Parish President Sam Jones says is a projected $2.5 million budget shortfall in the coming year.
Hidalgo has served as chair for the last year, and received seven of 11 votes to keep that position for 2024. Rink received 11 votes for vice chair.
The council also voted to confirm the reappointments of parish department heads: Finance Director Paul Governale, Planning & Zoning Director Tammy Luke, Personnel Director Jillian Fisher and Economic Development Director Evan Boudreaux.
John "Booker" Davis will also move up from parish works supervisor to director. Jean Paul Bourg had continued to direct public works after he was promoted to chief administrative officer last year.
The board also re-elected Councilman he Rev. Craig Mathews as chair of the council's Budget Advisory Committee after Ina withdrew his name from consideration.
At a special meeting to swear in new officials Monday, Mathews pushed back against Jones' assertion that the parish faces a budget shortfall of $2.5 million-$2.7 million. Jones described the situation as the potential for running out of money in May.
On Wednesday, Jones said Finance Director Governale had confirmed the potential shortfall.
He said he will tell the council what he plans to do about the budget later.
"We have to trim our sails," Jones said.
On Monday, the council rejected Jones' choice for a new CAO.
"I've had some cooperation the last couple of days," Jones said Wednesday. "But it's still uncertain."

Get ready for a blast; hard freeze expected next week

Fri, 01/12/2024 - 10:47am

Winter will arrive in a big way early next week, when the mercury is expected to plunge into the 20s.
The National Weather Service in Lake Charles this week reported growing confidence that an Arctic air mass will enter the area Monday.
The Weather Channel is predicting a mild weekend with lows in the 40s and a chance of rain Sunday. Then, on Monday, the high will be only 44 degrees. And the low Tuesday morning is expected to be 20 degrees with a north wind of 10-20 mph.
The Weather Channel gives us an 11% chance of snow on Tuesday.
The high Tuesday will be only 37 degrees, dipping to 25 degrees by Wednesday morning.
The weather will warm gradually, but morning lows near freezing are expected the weekend of Jan. 20-21.
The record low for Morgan City was 10 degrees on Dec. 23, 1989.
The threat of a hard freeze means it’s time to wrap exposed pipes.
Bring outdoor plants inside when possible, or cover them if they must stay outdoors.
Pets should also come indoors. Animals that can’t be taken indoors should be provided with shelter and a source of unfrozen water.
Be careful with space heaters. Plug heaters directly into wall sockets. They can overload power strips, creating a fire hazard.

Jobless rate is down; so is employment

Fri, 01/12/2024 - 10:45am

Staff Report

St. Mary Parish’s unemployment rate was down slightly in November, but so was the number of people employed in the parish.
The monthly report from the Louisiana Workforce Commission put St. Mary’s November unemployment at 4.0%, down from 4.1% in October but up from 3.7% in November 2022.
The unemployment rate reflects the percentage of people who are without jobs but are actively seeking them.
Nonfarm employment in St. Mary slipped by 22 to 17,811 from October to November. The number of unemployed people was down 22 to 751.
In Assumption, the unemployment rate dropped to 3.8% from 4.0% month over month. Employment rose by nine to 8,457. Unemployment was down 19 to 332.
Between November 2022 and November 2023, Assumption employment was down 48.
St. Martin Parish’s November unemployment rate was 3.4%, again despite a drop in total employment by 75 to 21,154 since October.
Statewide, the jobless rate was 3.5% in November after a loss of 5,600 jobs month over month. But the state is up 34,000 jobs from November 2022.
Nearly all the major economic sectors showed month-over-month drops in employment. Hardest hit was trade, transportation and utilities, which lost 3,600 jobs since October.
Leisure and hospitality lost 700 jobs, as did professional and business services.
Mining and logging, the sector that includes many energy industry jobs, was up 100 to 33,200.

Adonis outgoing royalty

Fri, 01/12/2024 - 10:43am

The men’s Krewe of Adonis will host it coronation at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Morgan City Municipal Auditorium. Floor seating is invitation only, but balcony viewing is available to the public. Making a farewell appearance will be King and Queen Adonis XLVIII Terry and Tanya Quatkemeyer. Adonis will hold its parade at 7 p.m. Feb. 9 in Morgan City.

Student of the Year contenders

Fri, 01/12/2024 - 10:40am

St. Mary Parish School Board
Three St. Mary Parish students have won spots in the Louisiana Department of Education's Student of the Year competition regional round. They are, from left: Carson Paradee, Berwick Elementary; Tyron Austin, Boudreaux Middle; and Cherish Lewis, Berwick High. Students are selected based on academic achievement, leadership skills, character, and service to their schools and communities.

Girl Scouts Louisiana East to kick off 2024 Girl Scout Cookie season

Fri, 01/12/2024 - 10:37am

Girl Scouts Louisiana East will kick off the 2024 Girl Scout Cookie season in southeast Louisiana on Jan. 19, according to the organization’s news release.
This season a full assortment of Girl Scout Cookies, including fan favorites such as Thin Mints, Caramel deLites and Peanut Butter Sandwich.
“Our Girl Scouts, volunteers and Council staff are gearing up for an amazing 2024 Cookie season,” said Rebecca Pennington, CEO of Girl Scouts Louisiana East. “The generous people of southeast Louisiana have always strongly supported this program, and we are thankful they continue to support the entrepreneurial spirit of our Girl Scouts.”
During this highly anticipated time of the year, girls flex their entrepreneurial muscles and acquire important life skills like goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills and business ethics. All proceeds from cookie sales stay with local councils and troops to power Girl Scouts’ experiences year-round.
This year’s theme, “Unbox the Future,” aims to remove social barriers that often keep girls boxed in. When Girl Scouts sell a package of cookies, they’re doing much more than what’s seen at face value. Girl Scouts are entrepreneurial powerhouses creating a more equitable future for themselves and the world. Every box of cookies sold provides invaluable experiences for Girl Scouts such as service projects, troop travel and summer camp.
Nearly 700k girls participate in the Girl Scout Cookie Program, which provides vital girl-led entrepreneurial skills that build courage, confidence and character. As a result, girls obtain limitless barrier-breaking futures outside the box with transferable life skills, the news release states.
Girl Scouts can earn a variety of badges and awards to develop valuable business skills including Cookie Business badges, Financial Literacy badges, Cookie Entrepreneur Family pins and Entrepreneur badges.
How to Purchase Girl Scout Cookies
Reach out to a registered Girl Scout to find out how she’s selling cookies. If you don’t know a Girl Scout, beginning March 1 use the Girl Scout Cookie Finder to find a booth and purchase cookies. Girl Scout Cookie season in southeast Louisiana will run from Jan. 19 through March 24.
Beginning Feb. 16, customers who do not already know a Girl Scout will also be able to purchase cookies to be shipped directly to their homes by entering their zip code into the Girl Scout Cookie Finder. This link can also be used to find a local booth, purchase cookies and/or to donate cookies for local community causes.
You can also text COOKIES to 59618 to stay informed about how to purchase Girl Scout Cookies and other exciting Girl Scout news.
Girls can join and adults can become volunteers at www.gsle.org/join.
Girl Scouts Louisiana East is the leading organization for leadership development of girls, grades K to 12, in 23 parishes of southeast Louisiana, including St. Mary and St. Martin parishes. Chartered by Girl Scouts of the USA, GSLE serves over 10,200 girls, with 3,400 adult members. Girl Scouts offers every girl a chance to practice a lifetime of leadership, adventure, and success. To volunteer, reconnect, donate, or join, visit www.gsle.org.

DEBORAH ANN GRAY

Fri, 01/12/2024 - 10:36am

Deborah Ann Gray, 72, a native and resident of Patterson, died Thursday, Dec. 28, 2023, at her residence.
Visitation will be Saturday from 9 a.m. until services at 11 a.m. at St. Luke Baptist Church in Patterson. Burial will follow in New Salem Cemetery.
She is survived by three sons, Edward Butler of Patterson, and Joseph Gray Jr. and Grady Gray, both of Lafayette; three daughters, Paula Pierre, Teneka Thomas and Anisha Butler, all of Patterson; brother, Erwin Butler; three sisters, Cora Span, Lorraine Butler and Patricia Watts; 14 grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, parents, granddaughter, daughter, two sisters and four brothers.
Jones Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Abused spouse believes time to escape is near

Fri, 01/12/2024 - 10:33am

By Jeanne Phillips, ©United Features Syndicate

DEAR ABBY: I have been with my abusive husband for almost 30 years. I made several attempts to leave him, which resulted in him stalking me and threatening to seriously harm me and our children. Despite all his threats and abuse, I was forced to allow him to take our children unsupervised. I would end up going back so I could be present when he was around the children.
Our youngest just moved out and, surprisingly, my husband has calmed down. I am going to leave, and I’m looking for places out of state where he won’t be able to find me. Honestly, I’m terrified.
How do I move somewhere new and start over alone?
ANONYMOUS IN THE U.S.

DEAR ANONYMOUS: Because you feel you may be in danger if you follow through with your plan to leave your abuser and start a new life, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline.
Its toll-free phone number is: 800-799-7233. The people there can help you formulate a safe way to escape. I wish you good luck and a MUCH happier life.

DEAR ABBY: I work nine hours a day in a mental health clinic talking to the clients and doing billing and collections among many other things. I love my job. The problem is that when I step outside to take a break, I want it to be my quiet time.
Most people say a quick “hi,” and that’s fine, but a man in the business downstairs from me comes out and chats every time. He calls me by the wrong name (which I have not corrected) and talks while I respond with the bare minimum to show I’m not interested.
Is there a nice way to say I am not interested in his company while I am on break?
DECOMPRESSING IN WISCONSIN

DEAR DECOMPRESSING: Yes, but it will take backbone on your part.
The next time you see this person, tell him there are two things about you he needs to know. They are: Your name isn’t “Joan,” and when you take a break from the pressure of your job, you would like to do it ALONE.

DEAR ABBY: My wife’s sister died 14 months ago at the young age of 52.
Since then, my brother-in-law has been texting and calling my wife constantly. He is grieving, and his alcohol problem has gotten worse.
I have tried to be patient about their communication, but I’m finding myself getting jealous.
What’s your advice?
BOTHERED IN ILLINOIS

DEAR BOTHERED: Have a talk with your wife about this. She is grieving the loss of her sister as well as trying to help her widowed brother-in-law. Put your jealousy aside, at least for now, and suggest she join a grief support group.
As to your brother-in-law, understand that his drinking problem won’t resolve itself until he admits he has one and decides to join a support group or to dry out in rehab.
You would be within your rights to point that out to him, as long as you do it with compassion rather than anger.
***
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