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Elementary school recess, home insurance, asphalt for road projects and, as usual, taxes will be among the targets of legislators representing St. Mary Parish in the coming legislative session.

State Sen. Bret Allain of Franklin, state Rep. Beryl Amedee of Gray and state Rep. Vincent St. Blanc, all Republicans, spoke March 29 at a St. Mary Chamber Legislative Breakfast at The Forest restaurant in Franklin.

The 2023 session opens Monday and must end no later than June 8.

The session probably will be the last for a while in which St. Mary has its current level of clout in the Legislature. Allain, who has chaired the Senate Revenue and Fiscal
Affairs Committee during the last four years, is term-limited.

“Twelve years is a long time,” Allain said at the breakfast, “particularly the last four years when I was part of the leadership. …

“Everybody pulls at you, and the work never stops. I was glad to do it, but it’s time for a little break.”

Three candidates have announced plans to run for the District 21 Senate seat: Allain’s son, Robert Allain; parish Chief Administrative Officer Henry C. “Bo” LaGrange; and Morgan City businessman Stephen Swiber.

Incumbent Allain said his work up to now has focused on infrastructure and job training. Those goals came together with funding for the planned Coastal Center at Nicholls State, which Allain said will train those who guide $50 billion in coastal restoration work over the next 50 years, and millions more for nursing education at Nicholls State and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

COVID exposed a nursing shortage, he said.

“The goal is to double the output at those universities,” Allain said.

His other focus has been on Louisiana’s tax structure, which he said is not economy-friendly.

“One of the biggest impediments we have here in Louisiana is our tax structure,” Allain said.

Voters have already approved the lowering of the state’s top income tax rate from 6% to 4.75%. Allain hopes to get rid of state franchise and inventory taxes, which he says discourage investment.

Amedee said the five bills she pre-filed are among the 1,200 she expects to be taken up this session.

Her bills:

--A constitutional amendment enshrining parental rights as fundamental.

--A requirement that insurance companies experiencing financial trouble notify state officials as “they are beginning to wobble.” The move could help people avoid long waits to have their claims processed, she said.

--Two pathways to receiving a state plumber’s license, which Amedee said are needed to address a shortage. One measure allows a licensed plumber to have more than one apprentice. The other sets a number of working hours that can be used to avoid the apprenticeship requirement.

--A minimum of 15 daily minutes of unstructured recess time for elementary students. The time could still be counted against required instructional time.

--A bill crafted to see that “central bank digital currency does not take over Louisiana.”

Amedee also supports a resolution calling for a study of alternatives to agricultural burning.

St. Blanc says he has a bill easing limits on trucks carrying aggregate and cement trucks to speed road projects.

Louisiana parishes with the state’s biggest cities all witnessed significant population declines between July 2021 and July 2022, according to new U.S. Census figures.

The Census Bureau’s Vintage 2022 estimates shows a return to pre pandemic population trends, with domestic migration slowing from urban counties.
In Louisiana, some parishes with large cities accelerated population losses compared to the year prior, while others remained about the same.

“The migration and growth patterns for counties edged closer to pre-pandemic levels this year,” said Dr. Christine Hartley, assistant division chief for estimates and projections in the Census Bureau’s population division.

“Some urban counties, such as Dallas and San Francisco, saw domestic outmigration at a slower pace between 2021 and 2022, compared to the prior year.

Meanwhile, many counties with large universities saw their populations fully rebound this year as students returned.”

In Orleans Parish, home to New Orleans, the population declined by 7,314 between July 1, 2021 and July 1, 2022, driven primarily by domestic migration of 8,501, which was offset by births outpacing deaths by 204 and international migration contributing 806. The year prior, Orleans parish lost 6,311 residents. Since April 2020, 14,249 residents have left the parish.

Happy ninth anniversary Thursday to Rachel and Matt Kidder, love, your family and friends.

11/19/1955 to 3/31/2023
67 Years

Anita gave her whole heart to the Lord Jesus Christ in 1979. She had many passions besides her family. Her children and grandchildren and more recently great-grandchildren were her source of pleasure and much joy.

She is survived by her loving husband of 40 years, Herb Stanley; her children, Christopher Boudreaux, Tori Henry (JP), Betsy Myers; a sister, Celeste Dragna; a sister-in-law, Bev Arthur (Bob); her grandchildren, Hannah Gowan (Micah), Robbie Boudreaux, Ruby Myers, Lola Myers; one great-grandchild, Jrue Gowan; and many nieces and nephews.

One of her passions was teaching, Mrs. Stanley as the students called her, was very disciplined and she loved watching her students learn and grow. She dedicated thirty years of her life to teaching and loved every minute of it. She had such a love for her students, and they loved and respected her as well. Many of her students came back to visit with her over the years and called her from time to time. Many more when they had children of their own sent them to Immanuel Christian School so that Mrs. Stanley could teach their children as well.

Teaching children has always been her passion. Serving in the Children’s Ministry of our church for 40 years (Cornerstone Ministries) teaching children of all ages from nursery to 12-year-olds but her sweet spot, her heart was always 4 year olds.

Anita has a great reputation in our city and was loved and respected by all.

Taking care of her grandchildren always fueled her joy, she always felt it was her responsibility to spoil each and every one of them as much as she could. She enjoyed every school play, every basketball, baseball, football, softball, volleyball, soccer game, every graduation or awards ceremony. If the kids were involved she was there.

She was also a die-hard Saints fan. Even during the years when they were consistent at losing, she stuck by them. When the Saints won the Superbowl in 2010 she was beside herself shouting and waving flags. All those years of sticking with them in the lean times finally paid off.

She was also known in the city for her delicious treats at Christmas time. People would line up waiting for those once-a-year gingerbread men and Italian fig cookies. If you got a box or tray of those cookies you were truly blessed.

Anita was preceded in death by her parents, Mat and Hazel Dragna, her brother Andrea Dragna, and her sister Janet Dragna Howard.

Anita will be missed by all who knew her.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held Saturday, April 8th at Cornerstone Ministries, 308 Everett Street, Morgan City, LA.

Visitation will be from 9 to 11 with the service starting at 11 a.m.

All are invited to come and share in the celebration.

1 Thessalonians 4:13, 14
And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Immanuel Christian School for the Anita Stanley Memorial Scholarship Fund.