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Council considers ideas for changing parish government

Fri, 09/16/2022 - 4:09pm

The St. Mary Parish Council on Wednesday considered two structural changes that could change the way parish government works.

Both ideas, put forward by Councilman J Ina of Franklin, may require further refining.

The council unanimously passed Ina’s proposed charter amendment raising the parish president’s pay with an eye toward making the position full-time. And Ina proposed a move that could help put another minority on the council without drastically changing the redistricting proposals already in the works.

The parish administration is currently set up with a part-time president, currently David Hanagriff, with a chief administrative officer, now Henry C. “Bo” LaGrange, working full-time to handle the day-to-day details.

Ina’s proposed amendment would raise the parish president’s pay from the current $1,000 per month to the average of the mayor’s annual pay in the parish’s municipalities. That’s currently just short of $50,000 per year, Ina said.

The raise wouldn’t be effective until after Hanagriff leaves office in early 2024.

Ina and the Rev. Craig Mathews of Jeanerette argued that St. Mary needs a full-time parish president to promote the parish and economic development.

The parish needs a full-time parish president to move ahead, Mathews said.

And, Ina said, making the position full-time would open the position to people who couldn’t afford to be a part-time parish president.

“I’m trying to have a more inclusive-type charter,” Ina said.

Hanagriff said the current set-up makes the parish presidency a full-time job with part-time pay. He frequently takes time away from his business, a Centerville machine shop, to tend to parish government duties, he said.

Ina’s fellow council members were generally receptive, although Councilman Dean Adams of Morgan City noted that moves to create a full-time parish have failed in the past.

Council members talked about defining the duties of the president and CAO and about whether $50,000 is the right salary for a parish president. Although the council has passed the amendment, it also requires a resolution calling on the secretary of state to put the measure on the ballot.

The deadline to put items on the March 25 ballot is Dec. 28.

Also Wednesday, Ina introduced a proposed charter amendment raising the council members’ salaries to the average of council members in the parish’s municipalities.

Minority representation

Currently, eight members of the council are elected from geographic districts. Three other members are elected by voters parishwide, but they’re required to live within one of three larger districts.

District 9 covers the western parish and is represented by Dr. Kristi Prejeant Rink of Centerville; District 10 covers the central parish and is represented by Gwendolyn Hidalgo of Bayou Vista; and District 11, represented by Adams, covers from eastern Berwick to Amelia.

Two of the geographic districts, 1 and 2, have African American majorities and are represented by Black councilmen, Mathews and Ina.

But Ina noted that while St. Mary’s population is 32% African American, the council has only two minorities.
Ina consulted the South Central Regional Planning and Development Commission staff, which the council hired to develop redistricting proposals, and came back with a new method.

The three at-large districts could become “super districts.” Instead of electing three members parishwide, each could be elected by voters within a super district.

District 9 has a Black population of 51%, Ina said.

The council is currently discussing redistricting for the eight geographic districts.

Ina’s idea would require eight council votes for a proposed charter amendment and then voter approval. To have the amendment placed on the March 25 ballot, the council would have to pass the proposed amendment and a resolution calling the election by Dec. 28.

MONA HEBERT BLANCO

Fri, 09/16/2022 - 4:06pm

Mona Hebert Blanco, 88, a resident of Morgan City, died Thursday, Sept. 15, 2022, at Patterson Healthcare Center.

She is survived by three children, Dudley Blanco Jr. of Morgan City, Marvin Blanco of Port Allen and Carla Sanders of Patterson; four siblings, Delores Hebert, Barbara Rock, Jeswood Hebert and Etsel Hebert; five grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents and husband.

Visitation will be Saturday at 9 a.m. until Mass at 11 a.m. at Holy Cross Catholic Church. Burial will follow in Morgan City Cemetery.

Twin City Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Morgan City police radio logs for Sept. 15-16

Fri, 09/16/2022 - 3:43pm

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.
Thursday, Sept. 15
5:30 a.m. 7100 block of La. 182; Medical.
6:21 a.m. 6300 block of La. 182; Theft.
6:44 a.m. 700 block of Myrtle Street; Assistance.
6:52 a.m. 500 block of Marshall Street; Medical.
7:34 a.m. Glenwood Street; Complaint.
8:04 a.m. On-stead/Ellzey streets; Animal complaint.
8:17 a.m. 1700 block of Filmore Street; Animal complaint.
8:42 a.m. Railroad Av-enue; Complaint.
9:26 a.m. 600 block of Greenwood Street; 911 hang up.
9:27 a.m. 1400 block of Railroad Avenue; Theft.
10:07 a.m. 700 block of Fifth Street; Animal complaint.
10:30 a.m. La. 182/Ditch Avenue; Complaint.
11:16 a.m. 1000 block of Third Street; Complaint.
11:47 a.m. 6400 block of La. 182; Animal complaint.
12:02 p.m. 300 block of Egle Street; Complaint.
1:22 p.m. 1800 block of Dale Street; Medical.
2:31 p.m. 2400 block of Tiger Drive; Juvenile problem.
3:45 p.m. 2300 block of Federal Avenue; Assistance.
4:58 p.m. 7500 block of La. 182; Assistance.
5 p.m. 300 block of Egle Street; Fight.
6:12 p.m. 100 block of Brownell Street; Noise complaint.
6:31 p.m. 700 block of Bush Street; Removal of subject.
7:02 p.m. Victor II Boulevard/Greenwood Street; Traffic incident.
8:01 p.m. 300 block of Federal Avenue; Runa-way juvenile.
Friday, Sept. 16
4:48 a.m. Circle K West; Removal of subject.
4:58 a.m. Terrebonne Street; Disturbance.

Milton piles up TDs in Berwick win over Franklin

Fri, 09/16/2022 - 1:01pm

Jayden Milton rushed for 243 yards and five touchdowns and caught a TD pass Thursday, leading Berwick to a 40-22 prep football win over Franklin and a 3-0 start for the Panthers.

Franklin, 0-3, led 22-20 as late as the 2:00 mark of the third quarter, after running back Zamarion Webber took a Jylon Jackson lateral 70 yards to the end zone, and safety Jayshaun Johnson returned a fumble 41 yards for a score.

But two of Milton's scores, runs of 13 and 50 yards, broke open the game. He rushed for a 12-yard TD late in the fourth quarter to cap the scoring.

Along with his TD runs of 55, 13, 13, 50 and 12 yards, Milton caught five passes for 74 yards, including a 33-yard touchdown.

Quarterback Cru Bella completed eight of his 16 passes for 121 yards and the Milton touchdown. Zack Gonzales caught two passes for 17 yards, and Namon Bennett had a reception for 30 yards.

Bella also finished with 87 rushing yards for a Berwick ground attack that rolled up 339 yards.

Franklin's Webber rushed for 144 yards, but Berwick throttled the rest of the Hornet offense. Jackson was 7-for-17 for 65 yards with a 20-yard scoring pass to Johnson.

Berwick intercepted two Jackson passes. Andre Engleton had one of the picks, and the other belonged to Nisaiah Bennett, who along brother Namon was among the leaders of the stingy Panther defense.

When Berwick was clinging to an 8-7 lead late in the first half, Franklin had a third-and-8 at the Panther 10. Johnson found a seam and was headed for the end zone before Nisaiah Bennett knocked the ball loose, and Namon Bennett recovered the fumble at the Berwick 1-yard line.

With a minute left before halftime, Bella hit passes of 30 yards to Namon Bennett and 21 to Milton to lead Berwick to Franklin's 14. From there, Bella took off for the end zone but was stopped a yard short.

Berwick will be at home Sept. 23 against Cohen. Franklin will look for its first win on the road at Central Lafourche in Raceland.

Berwick's Sept. 23 opponent has been corrected

John K. Flores: Teal numbers encourage La. hunters

Fri, 09/16/2022 - 9:31am

Two weeks ago, message boards and social media pages were full of postings by duck hunters who were brushing blinds and pumping water in their duck ponds getting ready for the September teal season that opened last weekend.

Most of the postings Friday evening pretty much all read something to the effect, “Good luck tomorrow guys,” followed by, “have a safe hunt.”

For the states 92,000 waterfowl hunters, the early teal season is typically their first incursion into the marshes and agricultural fields since January. For many of them, eight months felt like an eternity. The sweltering late summer heat, humidity and mosquitoes that comes with hunting teal at this time of year wasn’t about to keep them out of the field.

Teal hunters in southwest Louisiana were also greeted with a positive Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries aerial survey report last Friday. The 2022 estimate of 264,000 blue winged teal in coastal Louisiana and Catahoula Lake, though 6% lower than 2021, was still 37% higher than the five-year average and 44% higher than the most recent 10-year average according to the report.

Blue winged teal are unique in that they are one of the first North American duck species to migrate south, typically arriving in late August and early September. And they are typically the last to return to the northern breeding grounds, often still hanging around Louisiana in late April and early May.

Blue winged teal also continue to be one duck species whose numbers have remained stable over the years. This year’s 2022 USF&WS Waterfowl Population Survey estimated 6.485 million blue winged teal on the northern landscape. This year’s estimate was 19 percent higher than 2019 and 27 percent higher than the long-term average for this species.

High teal estimates don’t always equate to great hunts, particularly in St. Mary Parish. Corey Toups, and the group of guys he hunts with, haven’t missed a teal opener since 2004, his junior year of high school.

Toups and his buddies have noticed over the years the birds are not as plentiful on the Atchafalaya WMA as they once were. He also said his group didn’t fire a shot Saturday morning. However, Sunday was different altogether.

Toups said, “Although the birds aren’t as plentiful as they once were, great hunts are still possible with time spent scouting and a willingness to work for them. We quickly found ourselves red fishing and stumbled upon a much better location for Sunday’s hunt. With some good shooting, we were able to put together an awesome hunt Sunday.”

Toups says he tries to spend a couple of weekends prior to the season scouting teal. Around sunset he’s often able to get a general location on where to place a blind or use his pirogue to get to where the birds are.
Toups says when he hunts out of a pirogue he hides in the grass or uses whatever cover is available, but notes, “bringing a fishing pole helps pass the time while scouting.”

Dale Bordelon, owner of Bayou Beast Calls, hunts central Louisiana in and around Avoyelles Parish. Bordelon says his group of hunters killed half limits of teal on Saturday when they had a northeast wind. But, Sunday with a west wind, they had a great hunt.

Bordelon said, “I’m hearing central Louisiana doesn’t have many ducks. I hear most of the blue wings are in southwest Louisiana due to the mass of rice fields across that region. But, a good cold front could change everything.”

Damon Hebert and his group of six hunters hunted a crawfish pond in the Pine Island area of Louisiana. Hebert said there were plenty of birds, but they didn’t decoy well.

However, the group did manage to limit out on Saturday, killing 36 birds.

Sunday was much slower, with only seven birds killed, Hebert said. What’s more, many hunters in the area struggled.

Aaron Snatic hunted the Thornwell area in southwest Louisiana.

Snatic said, “We mostly saw singles and pairs, and a few groups of three to four birds Saturday morning.

"We ended up six birds short of a five-man limit. Most of our shooting was over by 7:15 a.m.”

Thomas Landers hunted a rice field in Gueydan with his son Rayburn and three other hunters. His group of five hunters limited out, mostly pass shooting as birds were reluctant to decoy well.

Teal season runs through Sept. 25, leaving hunters still plenty of time to shoot a few birds before its over.

One outfitter in the Gueydan area I’d recommend is Sportsman Charters. Rates are reasonable whether you prefer overnight accommodations or simply drive up. To reach Sportsman Charters call 337-912-5966.

John Flores is the Morgan City Review’s outdoor writer. He can be contacted at gowiththeflo@cox.net.

Jeremy Alford: Would amendment allow slavery in Louisiana?

Fri, 09/16/2022 - 9:26am

JEREMY ALFORD

A proposed constitutional amendment that was meant to protect Louisiana citizens from forms of slavery and involuntary servitude may actually do just the opposite if passed into law by voters later this year.

“I’m going to vote against it,” said state Rep. Edmond Jordan, the amendment’s author. “In my opinion, it could be interpreted by some to create new opportunities for slavery and involuntarily servitude as it’s drafted. Rather than risk that interpretation, I would prefer to come back next year with a clean version that would not be subject to that interpretation.”

Jordan, a Brusly Democrat, said he reached this conclusion only recently, after reviewing the ballot language and questioning how it was drafted: “Do you support an amendment to prohibit the use of involuntary servitude except as it applies to the otherwise lawful administration of criminal justice?”

In comparison, the Constitution’s current language only allows for an exception for a “punishment for crime.”
While Jordan originally viewed the verbiage in Act 246 from this year’s regular session as a compromise, he and others are now concerned.
Rep. Alan Seabaugh, a Republican from northwest Louisiana, warned supportive lawmakers during the regular session that the amendment wouldn’t do what they thought it would do. Still, Jordan’s legislation was adopted by the Legislature without an opposing vote.
“
If the amendment passes, you could see someone sentenced to slavery,” Seabaugh said in an interview last week.

An attorney who helps grade the constitutional law portion of bar exams, Seabaugh added such a scenario “would be pointless, like this whole debate, because the U.S. Constitution addresses this issue.”

Attorney Scott Sternberg of Sternberg, Naccari and White called the situation an “academic exercise” that voters should be informed about.

“I think (Jordan and Seabaugh are) both right,” said Sternberg, the general counsel for the Louisiana Press Association. “Sometimes the best of intentions wind up in a difficult situation, like the one we’re seeing right now, which is primed by the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. … It also further shows why we need to reform the way we amend the state Constitution.”

While provisions of federal law, including the U.S. Constitution, could preempt any misinterpretations, “it’s a dangerous game to invite interpretation of ambiguous language, especially on a matter of law and public opinion which is so well settled,” said Mary-Patricia Wray, an adjunct professor at Tulane University Law School who teaches legislative drafting.

That’s why Rep. Jordan said he has reached out to his legislative partners, like the American Civil Liberties Union, to encourage them not to engage on the proposed amendment.

“We’re going to come back next year, get this all cleaned up and try again on the 2023 ballot,” said Jordan, who originally wanted to remove any mention of slavery from the Louisiana Constitution.

Jordan’s proposed change will be in the second-to-last constitutional amendment on the Nov. 8 ballot — the seventh of eight listed. Another three proposed amendments will also be featured on the December runoff ballot.

The developments related to Jordan’s proposal represent the first bit of notable political noise from this year’s slate of constitutional amendments. In other words, all has been quiet on the constitutional front.

Groups like the Louisiana Chemical Association, Fraternal Order of Police and State Civil Service — to mention just a few — all took strong stances on this year’s other amendments during the legislative process, but few are planning to put significant resources behind flashy voter education campaigns.

So far, the strongest push related to a constitutional amendment this fall is coming from Jordan, who wants voters to reject his proposal so he can try again next year. It’s an unusual request from a politician, but one voters will surely understand.

For more Louisiana political news, visit www. LaPolitics.com or follow Alford on Twitter @ LaPoliticsNow

Jim Brown: New Orleans descends into chaos

Fri, 09/16/2022 - 9:24am

JIM BROWN

The real estate website Home Bay just released its national rankings of the best places in the U.S. to retire. So where is the No. 1 location? Are you ready for this? Numero Uno is the murder capital of America. That’s right. They list New Orleans as the best place to retire. Has this group been paying attention to what’s going on in the Crescent City?

Here’s what’s happening. The Queen City of the South is under siege. No, not from hurricanes. This time, the siege is from within. New Orleans is known as the city that care forgot. But it’s been hard to let the good times roll in the Big Easy when the dice keep coming up snake eyes.

New Orleans is in a battle to stay afloat as it deals with major street crime, inept public officials, and a dysfunctional criminal justice system where even federal officials can no longer be trusted. Author James Lee Burke writes about this corruption and dysfunction in his novel Last Car to Elysian Fields. “One of the most beautiful cities in the Western hemisphere was killed three times, and not just by forces of nature.”

New Orleans is a city that for years has had the highest per capita murder rate in the nation, where multiple killings often happen on a daily basis, a town that is rated as one of the five most dangerous cities in the world. But even with such a reputation, it was hard to fathom the recent crime wave that attacked the Crescent City. Recently, in just two weeks, 39 people were shot, including four children.

Over 22 shootings in just a few weeks; a war zone. Such violence goes beyond the street shootings that seem to happen almost daily in New Orleans. When a gunman indiscriminately fires into a crowd, it’s an act of terrorism.

Many crimes go unreported out of the sense of frustration that nobody will do anything about it anyway. Drug deals gone bad play a major role in a majority of the killings according to the New Orleans Police Department. The city is a cesspool of illegal drug activity in many neighborhoods, even in broad daylight. Recently, I watched the Tom Cruise movie “Jack Reacher: Never go Back,” that was made in the Crescent City. A local drug dealer tells Cruise: “More s—t in the streets of New Orleans then they make in Afghanistan.”

New Orleans has always pushed the limit of what is acceptable to those running government and to its citizens. The city is often referred to as a corrupt Third World country and the most northern of the Caribbean nations. But in recent years, the bottom seems to have fallen out of the criminal justice system itself.

In the movie called Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans, Nicolas Cage plays a corrupt New Orleans cop, and tells a fellow cop to “Shoot him again.”

“What for?” says his companion. Cage casually observes: “His soul is still dancing.” You can’t kill enough in New Orleans. It is the murder capital of America
with one of the worst murder rates in the world. And the killings continue at an ever-growing frequency.

The system that is supposed to protect the citizens of New Orleans is rife with corruption and incompetence. In too many instances, those who are charged with safeguarding and serving have betrayed their mission to see that the public is protected, and that justice is done. A report in The New Statesman observes: “Something terrible lies at the heart of New Orleans – a rampant, widespread and apparently uncontrollable brutality on the part of its police force and its prison service. The horrors of its criminal justice system from decades before Katrina and up to now lie somewhere between, with little exaggeration, Candide and Stalin’s Gulags.”

New Orleans can be either a unique place to live and work, or it can slowly drift into the cosmos due to a justified fear of crime.

There’s a fight to keep the bright, dynamic young leadership in the city and be an integral force in molding the future of New Orleans.

But it all begins with feeling safe, doesn’t it? And right now, the Crescent City has a long, long way to go.

Peace and Justice
Jim Brown

Jim Brown’s syndicated column appears each week in numerous newspapers throughout the nation and on websites worldwide. You can read all his past columns and see continuing updates at http://www.jimbrownusa.com.

Around Town for Sept. 16

Fri, 09/16/2022 - 9:20am

Happy birthday Shirley Black, happy birthday Sunday to Joyce Lewis and Monday to Susie Junifer, and belated happy birthday Ricky Watts from family, friends and Ira.

Wheel House for Sept. 16

Fri, 09/16/2022 - 9:19am

CAKE SALE
Sponsored by VFW Post 4222 Auxiliary 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Sept. 17, at Joe’s Boots, Seventh Street, Morgan City. Proceeds benefit veterans’ families.

CONCERT
Live On Stage and Morgan City Live, Community Concert Association of Morgan City host pop vocal trio, Divas3, 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 3, Morgan City Municipal Auditorium. They will perform hits by famous female singers in music history. Tickets, $25, adults; $5, students K-12; and season tickets ($45, adults; $10, students) for 2022-23 concert season available online at www.morgancitylive.com or at the door.

GSLE sets Women of Distinction Awards Luncheon

Fri, 09/16/2022 - 8:18am

NEW ORLEANS — Girl Scouts Louisiana East will host its 11th annual Women of Distinction Awards Luncheon on Sept. 22 at the Baton Rouge Marriott.
Barbara Auten, Christy Oliver Reeves and Sandy Summers will be recognized as Women of Distinction while Yolanda Dixon and Sharon Lavigne will be recognized with the Four Pillars award. WAFB Anchor Tisha Powell will emcee the event with Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser delivering a keynote address.
“Each of these women are strong role models for our girls and the young women of our region;” said Rebecca Pennington, CEO of Girl Scouts Louisiana East. “At Girl Scouts, we believe girls need women with a strength of character as they work to pursue their goals and dreams as the next generation of leaders. Our honorees represent exactly the kind of role models we want for our girls.”
Barbara Auten currently serves as the executive director of Alzheimer’s Services of the Capital Area, which she joined in 2006 in the fund development department, assuming the leadership role in 2008. The organization has received many awards for being a leader in Alzheimer’s care and developed the first social model respite center in Louisiana, Charlie’s Place, which was named the National Adult Day Service Center of 2008. She was a Girl Scout leader for 24 years, having as many as three troops at once. She served as service unit director and as an area cookie director for several years. She maintains contact with many of her former Girl Scouts.
Christy Oliver Reeves is a five-time CEO who brings 25 years of successful leadership experience in helping grow nonprofits and corporations. She currently serves as the vice president of regional community affairs and government relations for Ochsner Health System. In past roles, she has served as the past executive director of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation. From June 2005 to February 2007, she served as the CEO of the Girl Scouts Audubon Council in Greater Baton Rouge, during which time she supported the New Orleans area council following Hurricane Katrina as well supporting Girl Scouting through the merger of both councils.
Sandy Summers currently serves as the technology recruiting manager for the Workforce Talent Initiative within the College of Science and Technology at Southeastern Louisiana University. This role allows her to work with students to develop work readiness skills while simultaneously building relationships with local companies to assist with workforce needs. Her time is also spent as a Girl Scout Troop leader coordinating public relations and volunteer opportunities for the multi-level troop in Hammond.
Yolanda Dixon is the secretary of the Senate for the Louisiana State Senate. She was elected to the position by the members of the Senate in January 2020. She previously served as the first assistant secretary of the Senate, director of the Legislative Bureau, Senate senior counsel, director of the Judiciary and Government Division for the Louisiana State Senate. She previously served as an attorney for the Governmental Affairs, Judiciary “A” and Local and Municipal Affairs committees in the Senate as well as an attorney for the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office. She is involved in several civic activities and has served in leadership roles for civic and professional organizations.
Sharon Lavigne is a native of St. James Parish, where she lived off the land growing up. She served as a special education teacher for 38 years in the St. James Parish school system. In 2019, she founded RISE St. James, a faith-based, grassroots nonprofit organization fighting for clean air and water as well as the eradication and expansion of petrochemical industries. In 2022, she retired to dedicate herself full-time to the fight for environmental justice. Her mantra is “to love a community is to find ways to heal the community.”
Tickets for the Women of Distinction Awards Luncheon can be purchased https://one.bidpal.net/gsle22wod/ticketing. Attendees and the public can also participate in the Silent Auction. All funds from tickets and the Silent Auction will go toward ensuring all girls in GSLE’s 23 parish region, which includes St. Mary, have access to Girl Scouting regardless of their financial position to ensure they have this experience to treasure for years to come.
To volunteer, reconnect, donate or join, visit www.gsle.org.