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Jean Paul Bourg, currently the parish public works director, has been appointed to be the parish government’s chief administrative officer, succeeding Henry C. “Bo” LaGrange.

On Friday, for the first time in 33 years, LaGrange will not be working in parish government. LaGrange has served as CAO for the last 27 years.

“It’s a sad, sad day,” Parish President David Hanagriff said at Wednesday’s Parish Council meeting. “It’s also a happy day.”

Hanagriff’s appointment of Bourg was approved by the Parish Council on a voice vote Wednesday without objection. Bourg becomes CAO Friday.

LaGrange had announced his retirement at the April 12 council meeting. He has also announced his intention to run for the state Senate District 21 seat currently held by
Bret Allain, R-Franklin, who is term-limited. Businessmen Robert Allain and Stephen Swiber are also running for the seat.

Hanagriff noted that LaGrange has worked under five parish presidents and all the council members who have served since 1996.

“To me, it’s a very special person to do that and be able to bring everyone together and be neutral and maintain your integrity, which Bo LaGrange has done,” Hanagriff said.

Bourg told the council that after graduating from LSU, he came back to Morgan City to work for oilfield service and shipyard companies.

When the energy industry slumped, he became a math teacher in parish schools, a job he called the most challenging and rewarding he’s done.

For the last 12 years, Bourg, 40, has served as public works supervisor in Morgan City and most recently as the parish’s public works director.

“I believe we’re at an important point for what St. Mary will be like ...,” Bourg told the council. “By working together, we can have a St. Mary Parish we can live, work and invest in.”

LaGrange said that when he became CAO, a good staff was in place.

“You’re being left with an excellent staff,” LaGrange said. “Use them.”

As with many municipal and parish governments, St. Mary puts the leadership of its executive branch in the hands of a part-time official. The full-time CAO’s job is to guide the day-to-day operations of the government

Arc of St. Mary

The council heard a bleak report from Kristal Hebert, director of the Arc of St. Mary/Center of Hope, which trains and provides employment for developmentally disabled people.

Hebert said 199 St. Mary people are registered with the Office of Citizens with Developmental Disabilities in Houma. Arc of St. Mary has 24 clients, Hebert said.

“These are adults,” Hebert said. “So where are the other 175? A lot of them sit at home.”

Arc of St. Mary lacks the funding or the space at its Centerville building to handle more clients, Hebert said. And “transportation kills us.”

The transportation situation got worse Wednesday when the center’s 16-passenger bus broke down. The repair estimate is $15,000, Hebert said, the same amount the parish government had earlier offered to help buy a bus.

Even a high-mileage used bus would cost $28,000, she said. And without transportation, Hebert said, she may have to reduce the number of clients.

Councilman Rodney Olander asked Hebert to come back to the parish for help if she finds a good deal on a bus. And Hanagriff offered to write letters to municipal governments asking for support.

Resolution
for Peters

The council passed a resolution of respect for Willie Jay Peters of Franklin who served on the St. Mary Parish School Board for 25 years ending in 2006 and on the Port of West St. Mary Board. He died April 4 at a Baton Rouge hospital.

The council often devotes such resolutions to former parish officials, employees and community leaders who have died. But the comments Wednesday were especially
heartfelt for Peters, who was remembered for his activism and knack for speaking truth bluntly.

“That combination of tenacity and grace, I’ll always remember,” Hanagriff said.

Councilman J Ina, also of Franklin, remembered Peters for holding him accountable to his constituents.

“It’s hard to describe a pillar ...,” Ina said.. “He has fought many, many battles for this community. His impact and presence will go on forever.”

“If I had to describe him with one word,” said Councilman the Rev. Craig Mathews of Jeanerette, “it would be ‘giant.’ If I had to describe him in two words, it would be ‘giant humanitarian.’”

The council voted to name the fire substation at 1167 Irish Bend Road for Peters.

Looking for something to do this weekend? Here are some of the events going on:

—Live After 5 on the Berwick riverfront will feature Junior Lacrosse & Sumtin’ Sneaky 6:30-9:30 p.m. Friday. The last Live After 5 of the season will be May 5. Soulshine will perform.

—The election for the proposed half-cent sales tax in Morgan City will be 7 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday. The $1.3 million expected to be raised by the tax would go to pay and train police officers and firefighters. Bring a photo ID to the polls.

—The Oilfield Divers Monument will be unveiled at 10 a.m. Saturday at Morgan City Monument Park, 728 Myrtle St. near Municipal Auditorium. The monument, which will include a life-size bronze statue of an oilfield diver, is a project of the International Petroleum Museum & Exposition, which raised private funds to pay for the monument.

“It is time to acknowledge the many contributions of the oilfield diver,” the monument website says.

—The St. Mary Chamber’s Lemonade Day is devoted to “fostering entrepreneurship in our youth!” according to the Chamber’s Facebook page. Thirteen microbusinesses run by local children will operation 1-4 p.m. Saturday.

In east St. Mary, the participants include Brie’s Fresh Squeezed, 702 Front St., and Jessie’s Favorite 8, 1800 Federal Ave. in Morgan City; Sister Sweets and Everly’s Little Crafts, 3103 First St. in Berwick; and J’s Tribe Kidz, 112 Park St. in Patterson.

—Dr. Edward J. Valeau, a Patterson native and authority on high education, will appear at the annual Helping Hearts Foundation banquet at 4 p.m. Saturday at the St. Mary Senior Citizens Center, 4041 Chennault St., Morgan City.

The banquet raises money to help people who need assistance with funeral expenses. For tickets, call Herman Hartman, 985-384-3095 or any Helping Hearts Foundation member.

Terrariums are a fun, low-maintenance way to bring the beauty of nature indoors and make a great addition to any home. Creating a terrarium is a fun and easy project that can be done in a short time and enjoyed for many years.
Rooted in the Victorian Age (pun intended), terrariums were popular in the mid-1800s. When Europeans traveled, they used Wardian cases, an early type of terrarium to protect plants during long-distance travel. They also were used to grow tropical plants indoors.
Terrariums are microenvironments in transparent, glass or plastic containers. They create a small ecosystem of plants. The water from the soil is taken up into the plant as it grows and released through the leaves through transpiration. The water condenses on the glass and cycles back into the soil where it can be used again.
This water cycling can allow plants to go for months without watering and creates a rainforest-like atmosphere of high humidity and warm temperatures, which are perfect conditions for many tropical houseplants.
To build a terrarium, the first thing is to pick your container. That’s the fun part! There can be many shapes and sizes. The larger the opening, the easier to work with. You can use a large glass jar, bowl or even an old fish tank. You also can use smaller containers such as mason jars, but these are harder to work with.
Terrariums can be left open or closed with a lid. Open systems need watering more often while closed ones are better able to recycle moisture already in the terrarium.
Terrariums do not have drainage holes, so be sure that you use moistened soil to begin with and add only small amounts of occasional water or mist. Some suggest adding a 2-inch layer of gravel, pebbles or perlite to the bottom to provide space for excess water to drain.
The next step is to add the moistened potting soil. Make this layer 2 to 4 inches thick, depending on the size of the container.
Now it’s time to place your plants. Plants with slow growth rates that prefer high humidity and have small leaves make good candidates for terrariums. Use plants that tolerate the same soil moisture and growing conditions. Choose a variety of plants with different textures and sizes. You can have small- to medium-sized plants with trailing and upright growing habits.
Mosses, ferns and small succulents are most commonly used. You also can choose African violets and carnivorous plants such as Venus fly traps and pitcher plants. Mosses and ferns do especially well in moist environments. Succulents prefer drier environments. You can mist ferns and mosses with a spray bottle to keep them happy. If plants have differing soil and moisture requirements, you can still pair them if you leave drier-loving plants in their individual containers.
Arrange the plants in the container, leaving enough space between them for growth. Gently press the soil around the plants to secure them in place.
Rocks, shells and stones can be added to your miniature landscape in addition to small figurines. You may also add tiny string lights or battery-operated candles for nighttime displays. Don’t leave these as a permanent feature; remove them after use to protect them from moisture.
To finish your terrarium, moisten the soil by misting heavily. Soil stuck to the glass from planting can be rinsed off by lightly running water down the glass. After watering, cover with the lid, if using. Be sure to place the terrarium in medium to bright, indirect sunlight. Heat can build when the light is too intense, so avoid direct sunlight. If excessive condensation builds up in a closed terrarium, crack the lid to allow the moisture to escape.
It is not necessary to fertilize, as that will encourage growth and quicker crowding. If you notice yellowing leaves, you can fertilize with a liquid soluble fertilizer such as a 4-4-4 mixed at one quarter of the recommended strength.
Water only when the soil becomes dry or when you see wilting. Check on the terrarium every few weeks. Plants will grow and may become crowded. You can prune plants or pull them out, replace them with a new plant and change things up.

DEAR ABBY: Our mom just turned 100, and she is in good health. I threw a big birthday celebration to honor this amazing woman. My brother and I were adopted as infants. She gave us a fabulous childhood, and we grew up to be responsible adults.
My brother, who’s retired, lives 6 miles from Mom, but he never goes to see her or offers any type of help he is capable of doing. He thinks a daily phone call is enough. He didn’t even show up to her birthday party. I live 40 miles from Mom. I leave early for work to spend time with her each morning.
My brother and I do not talk, so how do I get the point across that he needs to spend TIME with her? If I mention it to Mom, she constantly makes excuses for his behavior. What can I do?
FRUSTRATED SISTER IN ARIZONA

DEAR SISTER: Although you and your brother were raised by the same woman, you are two different individuals.
The pattern of how your brother treats Mom has been established, and because there is little time left, it isn’t likely to change. You cannot control his behavior, so quit making it your problem. You are a dutiful and loving daughter. Leave it at that.

DEAR ABBY: I have recently retired after 40 years of working. My wife, who still works, thinks I should get up every morning and take her to work. We live in a big city where crime happens, so she doesn’t want to take the bus. Uber and Lyft are strangers to her.
I tried teaching her to drive — even bought her a car — but she’d rather I take her. It’s a 40-mile round trip. The traffic is crazy at that time. If I refuse, there are usually hard feelings. I don’t want to do it every morning only to have to pick her up in the evening at major traffic time.
What can I do?
UNENTHUSED CHAUFFEUR

DEAR CHAUFFEUR: Uber and Lyft are more expensive than they used to be. Even if your wife were willing to drive herself, the cost of the vehicle, insurance and fuel would cost a bundle.
Encourage her to ask if she could rideshare with a co-worker and repay the person for the gas. Even if it didn’t happen every day, it might relieve some of the stress on you.
Also, if she would be willing to take a bus to and from work on the lightest ridership day, it might make driving her more palatable. It’s worth a try.

DEAR ABBY: I became “friends” with a woman recently who constantly feels the need to put me down. She criticizes my house decor, my hair, my makeup, etc. WHO DOES THIS? I like to build other women up. I no longer feel good being around her, but she’s part of my larger circle.
Please tell me how to handle this.
HURT AND ANGRY IN THE NORTHEAST

DEAR HURT AND ANGRY: In my experience, people who can’t resist the urge to “improve” those around them with “helpful” criticism are insecure and trying to make themselves feel superior.
The next time it happens, tell her that when you think you need her opinion, you will ASK for it. Then, to the extent you can, avoid her.
***
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