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Some Louisiana Republicans are sounding off after the party’s executive committee voted over the weekend to endorse Attorney General Jeff Landry’s bid for governor.

The endorsement came at the urging of Republican megadonor Eddie Rispone, who lost his bid to unseat Gov. John Bel Edwards. Rispone joined with former

Congressman Ralph Abraham, who also ran for governor in 2019, to endorse Landry and encourage his fellow Republicans to follow suit in an email last week.

“Considering those that have indicated they will run, I have decided to support Jeff Landry,” Rispone wrote in the email last week to GOP members.

The vote to endorse Landry sparked immediate backlash from both Republican State Central Committee members and prominent state Republicans.

“I got wind of tonight’s clandestine meeting right as it was apparently set to begin and the odor was foul,” RSCC member Michael DiResto wrote to The Advocate in an email. “For a party that’s been harping for two years about election integrity and honoring the will of all legitimate voters, tonight’s action by the state GOP executive committee stinks like yesterday’s diapers.”

State Sen. Sharon Hewitt, R-Slidell, a potential 2023 gubernatorial candidate, responded to the endorsement on Twitter Sunday.

“The citizens of Louisiana do not need back room deals and political insiders telling them who should be our next Governor,” she wrote. “They are fully capable of deciding this themselves.”

The following are the radio dispatch logs from the Morgan City Police Department. To report unlawful or suspicious activity, call the police department at 985-380-4605.
Sunday, Nov. 6
6:27 a.m. 1000 block of Marguerite Street; Narcotics violation.
8:09 a.m. 6000 block of La. 182; Alarm.
9:40 a.m. 700 block of Duke Street; Disturbance.
10:48 a.m. Veterans Extension; Complaint.
11:28 a.m. 1000 block of Parlange Drive; Theft.
11:36 a.m. Grove Street; Suspicious per-son.
12:08 p.m. 7000 block of La. 182; 911 hang up.
12:19 p.m. 700 block of Myrtle Street ; Alarm.
12:50 p.m. Victor II Boulevard ; Complaint.
1 p.m. 7000 block of La. 182 ; Medical.
1:56 p.m. 400 block of Adams Street; Complaint.
2:26 p.m. 600 block of Louisa Street; Complaint.
3:35 p.m. 100 block of First Street; Medical.
8:05 p.m. 2700 block of Shaw Drive; Complaint.
8:17 p.m. 900 block of Seventh Street; Suspicious vehicle.
8:20 p.m. Front Street; Patrol.
8:25 p.m. 200 block of Belanger Street; Disturbance.
8:45 p.m. Leona and Acorn streets; Traffic incident.
10:32 p.m. 2300 block of La. 70; Alarm.
Monday, Nov. 7
12:35 a.m. 600 block of Brashear Avenue; Medical.
1:15 a.m. 2300 block of Federal Avenue; Theft.

September 17, 1940- November 3, 2022

Our beautiful mother, Denise Parra Bostic, passed away peacefully on November 3, 2022 at the age of 82 after a heroic, two-year battle with colon cancer.

Denise was born to the late Milton and Catherine “Kitty” Parra on September 17, 1940 in New Orleans, Louisiana. She attended St. Raphael Grammar School and graduated from St. Mary’s Dominican High School in 1958, where she was affectionately known to everyone as “Denny.” Denise loved New Orleans, and in particular, St. Mary’s Dominican High School. She always spoke fondly of her childhood days growing up on Baccich Street in Gentilly and spending the summers at her grandmother’s sugarcane farm in Franklin. After high school, Denise briefly attended LSUNO, then left to teach a class of 62 first graders at St. Raphael’s. After a yearlong stint, Denise left her teaching job and started working for Gulf Oil Company where she met her husband of 60 years, Jerry Bostic. At the age of 21, Denise married Jerry and the couple lived in Houston, TX and Alexandria, LA before making their home in Morgan City where they had six children.

For many years, Denise dedicated her life to her family as a stay-at-home mother and was actively involved in all six of her children’s extracurricular activities.

She spent countless hours volunteering at school functions at Holy Cross Elementary and Central Catholic High School. She would often retell the story of Saturdays and how she’d spend her entire day in the car, from sunrise to sunset, transporting numerous kids from one activity to the next. In 1980, with all six of her children still under one roof, Denise made the decision to go back to college. She did not want to be the only one in her family without a college degree.

While parenting full time, Denise attended Nicholls State University as a part time student and graduated Magna Cum Laude five years later in 1985. After graduation, Denise began her teaching career at Nicholls State University and later at Fletcher Community College where she taught developmental English for 30 years and retired in 2015. Denise thoroughly enjoyed her days in Thibodaux with her many friends and colleagues at NSU.

Denise was a devout Catholic and a member of Holy Cross Catholic Church where she attended Mass every Sunday. Even when traveling, she would find the nearest Catholic church and attend Mass. She was extremely proud of her Catholic faith and was a strong believer in the power of prayer. In the early 1990’s, Denise started a Tuesday night Rosary group hosting friends weekly at her kitchen table. Her group would take prayer requests and pray for those in need and were praised in several incidents for prayers being answered.

For fifty years, she was a member of the Board of Directors for the Krewe of Hephaestus and for 30 of those years, Denise served as Chairman of the Board and was the Queen of Mardi Gras secrets- nothing was getting out of the vault. By leading a group to sponsor a parade and ball for the community, she made an invaluable contribution to the local spirit.

Denise was an avid reader and devoured books of all types. She belonged to an East St. Mary Book Club which met monthly to discuss a book selected by a member. Denise felt that reading and discussing themes and characters added an enriching dimension; her book club members became dear friends. In addition to book club, Denise enjoyed monthly gatherings with her beloved Dominican High School classmates. During her illness, she made those gatherings a priority in her life.

Denise loved politics and loved traveling to Washington, DC. She valued patriotism and service to her country and spoke clearly of that fact. She followed national and local races with an intense interest.

Denise had an outgoing personality and enjoyed striking up conversations with others, always trying to connect the dots. She loved a good small world story and if she talked to someone long enough, nine out of ten times would make a connection. She was a woman always on the go and never turned down an invitation to any event.

She loved traditions and spending time with her family and close friends. Gatherings when all her children and grandchildren were together were her favorite and most memorable of all. Denise viewed her family as her greatest achievement and was proud of each and every one of her children and grandchildren.

She was a strong, remarkably brave woman and truly one of a kind, a beautiful person inside and out, and an inspiration to all those who knew her.
Denise was preceded in death by her parents, Milton and Catherine Parra; her mother and father-in-law, Crawford and Rose Bostic; and granddaughter, Grace Marie Wilson. She is survived by her husband of 60 years, Jerry Bostic and their six children, William “Billy” (Sharion) Bostic of Fort Worth, Texas; Donna (Jeff) Wilson of Atlanta, Georgia; Robert “Bobby” (Natalie) Bostic of New Orleans; Dana (Walt) Lukken of Washington, D.C.; Diana (Michael) Vining of Houston, Texas; Brian (Julie) Bostic of Charlotte, North Carolina, her grandchildren, Lainey Bostic Economides (Costa), Katie and Grace Bostic, Savannah, Kyle, and Cydney Wilson, Brett and Belle Bostic, Will, Genevieve and Crawford Lukken, Vivienne and Oliver Vining, and Ruby and Charles Bostic; one brother Milton (Diane) Parra of Charlotte, North Carolina, sister in law, Betty Bostic Cook of Rosebud, Texas and many nieces and nephews. She leaves behind many dear friends and her “magical and magnificent” cat, Baby.

The family would like to extend their sincere gratitude and appreciation for all the love and care that they received from so many through meals, phone calls, texts and visits. We are grateful to all the close friends who were like family to Denise over the years, those near and far, whose support she cherished.

Visitation will be held at Holy Cross Catholic Church on Wednesday, November 9 from 9:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., Mass at 12:00 p.m. and burial in Morgan City Cemetery following services.

Personal condolences can be left for the family at www.hargravefuneralhome.com. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Denise’s name to Holy Cross
Catholic Church.

(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 and Berwick police on Monday reported arrests on aggravated assault charges, including a Lafayette man accused of threatening a woman with a knife.

Berwick

Police Chief David S. Leonard reported these arrests:

—Morris Campbell III, 43, Lafayette, was arrested at 9:36 a.m. Thursday on two counts of aggravated assault.

About 9:19 a.m. Thursday, Berwick officers were dispatched to a residence in the 1900 block of River Road in reference to a disturbance involving a male subject making threats to a female with a knife. Officers identified Campbell as the one involved and learned that he made the threats during a verbal altercation.

Campbell was taken into custody without incident. He was later transported to Berwick PD, where he was booked. He was later transferred to St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center for housing.

—Juvenile male, 16, was arrested at 7:50 p.m. Saturday on a charge of disturbing the peace.

—Juvenile male, 15, was arrested at 7:50 p.m. Saturday on a charge of interfering with a law enforcement investigation.

—Juvenile female, 16, was arrested at 7:50 p.m. Saturday on a charge of interfering with a law enforcement investigation.

About 7:50 p.m. Saturday, officers working the Lighthouse Festival witnessed a juvenile making threats to another juvenile. Officers made contact with the juvenile and barred him from the grounds. During this time, the juvenile began causing a disturbance and hollering profane languages and was placed under arrest.

Two other juveniles arrived and began interfering with the arrest. All were placed under arrest and transported to the Berwick Police Department, where they were booked and released to a guardian.

Morgan City

Police Chief Chad M. Adams reported that the Morgan City Police Department responded to 133 calls for service over the last 272-hour reporting period and made these arrests:

—Joshua Johnson, 37, Clements Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 11:37 a.m. Saturday on charges of aggravated assault, disturbing the peace and possession of a firearm by a felon.

—Myron Hatch Jr., 49, Victor II Boulevard, was arrested at 3:08 p.m. Friday on two counts of aggravated assault and one count of criminal damage to property.

—Raife P. Bodin, 38, Francis Drive, Morgan City, was arrested at 10:07 a.m. Friday on a charge of battery of emergency room personnel.

—Deon Deangelo Turner, 40, Joseph Lane, Franklin, was arrested at 2:23 p.m. Friday on three counts of failure to appear for trial (6th Ward Morgan City Court).

—Chad Michael Bertrand, 38, Joey Street, Patterson, was arrested at 2:43 p.m. Friday on a charge of failure to appear for arraignment (6th Ward Morgan City Court).

—Pearl Marie Ross, 38, North Verret Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 8:46 p.m. Friday on a charge of failure to appear for review (6th Ward Morgan City Court).

—Nathaniel Albert Rollins, 26, Brashear Avenue, Morgan City, was arrested at 12:07 p.m. Saturday on a charge of theft (under $1,000).

—Nicholas P. Blanchard, 63, Kylie Drive, Plaquemine, was arrested at 6:46 a.m. Saturday on charges of possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

—Justin Leo Charles Bourgeois, 48, Duke Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 10:27 a.m. Sunday on charges of possession of methamphetamine,
possession of drug paraphernalia and resisting an officer.

—Hubert Earl Williams, 57, Grand Caillou Road, Houma, was arrested at 11:36 a.m. Sunday on a charge of failure to appear to pay fine (6th Ward Morgan City Court).

Patterson

Police Chief Garrett Grogan reported these arrests:

—Bladimar Rios, 31, Fielders Court, Houma, was arrested at 12:39 a.m. Sunday on charges of speeding 96 mph in a 55 mph zone, no driver’s license, reckless operation and expired registration. Rios is incarcerated at the Patterson PD Jail with bond set at $1,158.

—Christopher W. Goulet, 28, 12th Street, Pearlington, Mississippi, was arrested at 3:26 p.m. Sunday on charges of obstructing public passages and entry or remaining after being forbidden. Goulet was issued a summons.

St. Mary

Sheriff Blaise Smith reported that over the last 72-hour reporting period, the Sheriff’s Office responded to 90 complaints and made these arrests:

—Trina Lachelle Leger, 53, Lafayette, was arrested at 7:59 a.m. Friday on a charge of driving while intoxicated. Bail has not been set.

—Tony Batiste, 35, Eunice, was arrested at 10:07 a.m. Friday on a probation violation. Bail has not been set.

—Robert Joseph Berry Jr., 39, Broussard, was arrested at 4:37 p.m. Friday on charges of criminal trespass and theft. Bail has not been set.

--Barbara Norris Russell, 49, Jeanerette, was arrested at 12:25 p.m. Saturday on a warrant alleging failure to appear on the charge of operating a vehicle with an expired license plate. Bail has not been set.