RSS Feed

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.)

Morgan City police reported arrests on theft and multiple drug charges, and parish deputies booked a Franklin man on a domestic battery charge.

Morgan City

Police Chief Chad M. Adams reported that the Morgan City Police Department responded to 52 calls for service over the last 24-hour reporting period and made these arrests:

--Tyrone L. Freeman, 54, La. 87, Franklin, was arrested at 9:14 a.m. Thursday on charges of theft (under $1,000), resisting an officer, expired driver’s license, no driver’s license on person and possession of drug paraphernalia.

--Michael Anthony Francois Jr., 31, Grove Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 7 p.m. Thursday on charges of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession with intent to distribute MDMA, possession with intent to distribute alprazolam, possession of hydrocodone, no seat belt and improper display of license plate.

--Jonathan Perou Jr., 19, Federal Avenue, Morgan City, was arrested at 11:46 p.m. Thursday on a charge of failure to appear for executory sentence (16th Judicial Court).

--Kierra Castle, 32, Shannon Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 11:58 p.m. Thursday on charges of criminal damage to property and flight from an officer.

St. Mary

Sheriff Blaise Smith reported that over the last 24-hour reporting period, the Sheriff’s Office responded to 37 complaints and made this arrest:

--Kendrick Juan Madison, 45, Franklin, was arrested at 12:17 a.m. Friday on a charge of domestic abuse battery.

Franklin

interim Police Chief Tina Thibodeaux reported that the Franklin Police Department responded to 21 complaints over the last 48-hour reporting period and made these arrests:

--Jonathan Miller, 36, Cypress Street, Franklin, was arrested at 9:53 a m. Thursday on a warrant dated Jan. 8 alleging theft. Miller was additionally arrested on charges of possession of marijuana (third offense) and possession of drug paraphernalia. Miller was booked, processed and released on a $10,000 bond.

--Jarmontay Roberson, 28, Robertson Street, Franklin, was arrested at 10:11 a.m. Thursday on warrants dated Jan. 4 alleging simple criminal damage to property and remaining where forbidden. Roberson was additionally arrested on a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia. Roberson was booked, processed and released on a $3,000 bond.

--Ratonia Bardwell, 43, Hester Street, Pascagoula, Mississippi, was arrested at 2:56 p.m. Thursday on a charge of domestic abuse battery. Bardwell was booked, processed and released on a $2,500 bond.

--Darius Stansbury, 32, St. Joseph Lane, Franklin, was arrested at 12:49 a.m. Friday on a charge of domestic abuse battery. Stansbury was booked, processed and held on a $1,500 bond.

--Taerrin Vincent, 28, St. Joseph Lane, Franklin, was arrested at 12:52 a.m. Friday on a charge of domestic abuse battery. Vincent was booked, processed and held on a $1,500 bond.

LAFAYETTE — Acadiana Center for the Arts and Lafayette Economic Development Authority announce a call for applications to ArtSpark, a program that supports artists, musicians and other creative workers in the advancement of their careers.
The program also develops these artists’ entrepreneurial skills by providing business and marketing training for successful applicants in partnership with Opportunity Machine.
Applications for the 2022 ArtSpark program can be submitted through the online application at acadianacenterforthearts.org until Feb. 24.
“Acadiana’s artists, musicians, writers, and performers are the backbone of our region’s national identity,” AcA Executive Director Samuel Olvier said. “I’m grateful for LEDA’s support of ArtSpark, which lets us invest in those hardworking creative people on whose backs we enjoy our national reputation as a vibrant cultural hub in the American South.”
ArtSpark awards support emerging, mid-career and mature artists across Acadiana, especially those with otherwise limited opportunities. Projects must be completed between April 1 and
Dec. 1, 2023, and grants of $1,000 to $5,000 will be awarded to several applicants.
The grant funds can be used to expand an artist’s body of work for specific, short-term projects, and projects in virtually any creative discipline qualify. Additionally, the artists are presented with a unique opportunity to engage with the community through sharing their artistic skills.
“In addition to playing a significant role in our community’s cultural identity, support for artist entrepreneurs is a component of LEDA’s economic development efforts,” LEDA’s Executive Director Mandi Mitchell said. “Every artist is a small business adding to the region’s rich culture and adding to our economic strength. Having a thriving and vibrant arts community is one of the cornerstones of Acadiana’s outstanding quality of life that is attractive to prospective residents and businesses. The ArtSpark program has been successful in turning many artists’ ideas into viable businesses that enrich the community, enhance our quality of life, and serve as inspiration for future artists.”
This year, the AcA is introducing open office hours and working sessions for anyone interested in gaining real-time assistance while working on their applications. Prospective applicants can join AcA staff in-person at Lamp Lighter Coffeehouse & Bistro in Franklin, AcA in Lafayette, NUNU’s in Arnaudville, A&E Studios in New Iberia, amongst others, during the submission period.
Full dates and times are listed on AcA’s website.
The AcA will be hosting a hybrid online and in-person information session to review guidelines and the application process. This will be followed by a Q&A session with attendees.
Registration for the Information Session on Tuesday, Jan. 17 at 5:30 p.m. is online at www.simpletix.com/e/arts park-award-information- session-tickets-120778.
Interested applicants are strongly encouraged to contact AcA staff to discuss their project ideas before submitting an application. Direct any inquiries to: Anna@AcadianaCenterForThe Arts.org.
More information, including guidelines and submission portal are available on the AcA’s website at https://acadianacenterforthearts.org/resources-for-artists/artspark/.

CENTERVILLE — A term of change for the St. Mary Parish School Board began Thursday with a change in meeting times.

The newest members of the board, who took their oaths of office from District Judge Curtis Sigur at Thursday’s regular monthly meeting, voted to push back the scheduled starting time for future meetings. In doing so, they fulfilled one of the pledges made during the campaign leading up to the Nov. 8 elections.

More changes: Assistant Superintendent Dr. Rachel Sanders presided over the opening of the meeting. Sanders is serving as interim superintendent while Dr. Teresa Bagwell is on medical leave.

During that brief time, board members voted to make Alaina Black of Morgan City the board president. Tammie Moore of Four Corners is the new vice president. Both were lone nominees for their posts and were voted in by acclamation.

Black is beginning her second term on the board. Moore was a 2021 interim appointment to replace the late Sylvia Lockett. Moore was later unopposed in a special election.

Another special election will come March 25 to fill the seat left vacant by the withdrawal of incumbent Pearl Rack after she qualified to run in November. The interim member is
Debra Jones, who was reappointed to the interim post Thursday.

So the board now includes returning incumbents Moore, Black, Joseph Foulcard of Franklin, and Marilyn LaSalle and Ginger Griffin of Patterson, and new members Rhonda
Dennis and Andrew Mancuso of Morgan City, Lindsey Anslem of Bayou Vista and Chad Paradee of Berwick.

Soon after the officers were elected, the board voted to amend a proposed schedule of 2023 meeting dates to change the start time from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Candidates for School Board had pushed for a later starting time and live-streaming meetings to make them more accessible to the public.

The meeting time change is “a matter of getting here without having to take off work so early,” Mancuso said Thursday.

Moore and Jones joined the new members in voting for the change, which passed 7-4.

The regular meetings will continue to be on each second Thursday except for March and April, when the board will meet on the third Thursday.

There is no word on the live-streaming yet.

Also Thursday, this board decided to let state officials handle two cases of noncompliance with tax exemption requirements.

Louisiana Economic Development notified the school system Dec. 22 that two St. Mary businesses that sought Industrial Tax Exemption Program property tax abatements from local governments missed the deadline for certifying that they’ve fulfilled their obligations.

The program offers a 100% property tax exemption on new or expanding industry for five years with an option for an 80% exemption for additional three years. In exchange, the company commits to meet job and payroll targets.

LAPCO Manufacturing Inc. of Morgan City was obligated to create seven jobs with a $175,000 payroll and missed the certification deadline, according to a letter from LED.

LAPCO exceeded the seven-job and $175,000-payroll targets in 2019, fell short in 2020 and 2021, and failed to certify on time all three years.

Jeanerette-based Gravois Aluminum Boats LLC, which does business as Metal Shark, received an exemption for a two-job, $72,800-payroll expansion. The LED said the Metal Shark expansion created no jobs and missed the certification deadline.

The School Board had the option of seeking a payment from the companies, terminating the exemption or reducing the rate of abatement.

Instead, the board voted to let the state Board of Commerce and Industry decide what to do.

Last year, the modest Metal Shark expansion caused friction between the board and Parish President David Hanagriff.

Since 2016, program rules have given each local government that would be affected by the exemption the power to decide whether to give the break on its own taxes. To streamline the application process, Hanagriff received authority from the parish’s governments, including the School Board, to grant the exemptions on his own if an economic
analysis projected a positive return.

The analysis on the Metal Shark expansion was slightly negative, so Hanagriff sought School Board approval for the exemption. The board voted against it, but the exemption took effect anyway after the school system missed the deadline for notifying the state about its decision.

Also Thursday, members from Maintenance District 3 on the east side of St. Mary agreed to meet Jan. 19 to talk about proposed improvements at the Morgan City High football stadium.

Architect Carl Blum has proposed a $1.2 million plan that would include replacing railings and fences to comply with safety codes and the Americans with Disabilities Act, installing nonslip coatings on walkways, seating, making handicapped seating areas directly accessible from stadium seating, steam cleaning and water proofing concrete surfaces, replacing caulking between concrete panels, completing the conversion of stadium lighting to LED fixtures and replacing fencing around the field.

The plan also recommends inspecting the stadium track and putting down a new surface.

Board members also plan a February meeting to discuss the hiring of a new superintendent. Bagwell has announced that she will not seek to extend her contract beyond its expiration in June.

DEAR ABBY: I used to have a great relationship with my mother-in-law. I considered her one of my best friends, until her severe drug and alcohol abuse began to ruin her life.
Her mental health issues came out in full force, and her lashing out reached a peak shortly before I married her son. After a barrage of nasty messages, she was no longer welcome at our wedding.
I have blocked her from contacting me. She occasionally reaches out to my husband to talk only about herself.
We are thinking about starting a family in the next few years, and I’m terrified of her having access to our child. Do we have an obligation to let her meet our child, or even let her know one exists?
She was a terrible mother to my husband (the authorities had to step in, and she was incarcerated) and she relinquished rights to her other child. This screams to me that she shouldn’t have access to any grandchildren.
After she verbally attacked me, I don’t even want her to know if I become pregnant. My husband isn’t completely on board with keeping her in the dark, but he agreed not to tell her anything without us being on the same page.
He is a thoughtful husband, but feels bad about being asked to keep such a big secret. I’m filled with anxiety about her even knowing about a baby. I would greatly appreciate your advice.
ANXIOUS IN WISCONSIN

DEAR ANXIOUS: When someone becomes pregnant, they do better with as little stress in their lives as possible.
While I admire your husband’s compassion for his volatile, unstable and abusive mother, he needs to accept that involving her in this chapter of your family life might not be the best decision for you or his child. If you can’t get through to him, enlist the help of your doctor and someone with expertise in child development to help him understand that everyone will be healthier if she remains out of the picture. She may find out eventually, but you will be safe in the short term.

DEAR ABBY: I host an annual party for many longtime friends. Some of them bring their (small) dogs, and that’s OK. My problem is, one friend brings their giant dog. The last time “Brutus” was here, it was seen snatching food off the kitchen counter and the dining table. I love this friend, but I don’t love that dog in my kitchen and dining room.
Normally I would just say, “Please don’t bring Brutus,” but I can’t. My friend is now blind and says Brutus is their Seeing Eye dog. (Brutus doesn’t act like any Seeing Eye dog I’ve ever seen. He’s very undisciplined.)
I’m at a loss about what to do or say. Do you have any advice for me?
AWKWARD IN CALIFORNIA

DEAR AWKWARD: Yes. Service dogs wear a harness or a vest. They also are trained not to leave their owner’s side.
They never behave the way Brutus has, so it’s safe to assume this person may have been less than honest with you about their own status, as well as their dog’s.
My advice is to omit this person off your guest list, and if you are asked why, be truthful.
***
What teens need to know about sex, drugs, AIDS and getting along with peers and parents is in “What Every Teen Should Know.” Send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $8 to: Dear Abby, Teen Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447.