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Shrimp and Petroleum Festival opens membership, sponsorship drives

Thu, 05/19/2022 - 10:51am

The Louisiana Shrimp and Petroleum Festival has opened its membership and sponsorship drives.

Over the past 87 years, the Louisiana Shrimp & Petroleum Festival has gone from a small festival representing the seafood industries to a grand event incorporating the petroleum industry as well. The dynamic joining of the two industries created an association and festival that has brought honor and many awards to the Tri-City area.

The festival will be held on Labor Day Weekend, Sept. 1-5.

"With the opening of our Membership & Sponsorship drives we want to recognize that one of the main reasons of our success is the support of our Members & Sponsors who give graciously year after year," the festival organization said in a press release. "We would not be the great festival we are without the support of our community and for that we thank you!"

Information regarding opportunities for your support are available at https://www.shrimpandpetroleum.org/membership & https://www.shrimpandpetroleum.org/sponsorship . You can also contact the festival office for more information.

"We thank you for your continued support for our great festival and are looking forward to celebrating our 87th Louisiana Shrimp & Petroleum Festival with you all!" the press release said.

Four valedictorians, salutatorian will lead CCHS grads

Thu, 05/19/2022 - 10:39am

Staff Report

Four valedictorians and a salutatorian will lead Central Catholic High School graduates at commencement ceremonies at 1 p.m. Saturday at Holy Cross Catholic Church.

The Rev. P.J. Madden, who has served as Houma-Thibodaux diocesan administrator since the appointment of Shelton Fabre as archbishop of Louisville, Kentucky, will officiate.

For Central Catholic:

b>Valedictorians
Hallie Crappell

Hallie Crappell is the daughter of Tracy and Wade Crappell Jr. She was a four-year varsity pitcher for CCHS. She was also a member of Beta Club, National Honor Society and ARK Club, and was co-leader of Sisters in Christ.

She took two AP courses. She was awarded the Diocesan Youth Leadership Award, Daughters of the American Revolution Award and Student of the Year.
Crappell has chosen to continue her Catholic formation at Regis University, a Catholic Jesuit private school in Denver. She has received the Regis Merit Academic Scholarship and an athletic scholarship to play softball for the Regis Rangers softball team as a pitcher.

She plans to study psychology and theology with current career aspirations to one day be a guidance counselor, campus minister and softball coach.

Spencer Hebert
Spencer Hebert is the son of Joan and Timothy Hebert. He was involved in National Honor Society, BETA, Campus Ministry, and Key Club, where he served as club president. He was also senior class treasurer.

Athletically, Hebert participated in tennis, where he went to state. He took three AP courses and two semesters of dual enrollment English. Hebert plans to attend LSU, where he accepted the Tiger Excellence Scholars Award, to major in mechanical engineering with a possible minor in aerospace. He hopes to be involved in a career in space travel.

Abbie Scully

Abbie Scully is the daughter of Candy and Bryan Scully. She was vice president of ARK Club, president of BETA, class vice president of Student Council, and was also involved in Campus Ministry, Sisters in Christ and National Honor Society. She took two AP courses. Athletically, she participated in softball, volleyball and cheer, where she served as co-captain.

She plans to attend Nicholls, where she received an academic scholarship, to major in business and accounting with the hopes of one day owning her own business.

Nicolas Spitale

Nicolas Spitale is the son of Stacey and Santo Spitale IV. He was involved in BETA and National Honor Society. He took one AP course. Athletically, he participated in baseball. Spitale plans to attend Nicholls to major in nursing.

Salutatorian
Gracie Pintado

Gracie Pintado is the daughter of Jennifer and Michael Pintado. She was involved in Campus Ministry, National Honor Society, Sisters in Christ and BETA, where she served as secretary. She took two AP courses.

Athletically, Pintado participated in varsity softball. She plans to attend Nicholls State University where she received an academic scholarship, to major in biology.

LUANNA 'LOU' and STANLEY 'STAN' AMADORE

Thu, 05/19/2022 - 10:33am

Luanna “Lou” and Stanley “Stan” Amadore passed away just less than 34 hours apart. Lou passed away on Sunday, May 15, 2022, at West Jefferson Medical Center and Stan passed away on Monday, May 16, 2022, at his home in Bayou Sale. They both passed peacefully surrounded by family.
Lou was born on August 17, 1944, in Berwick, the daughter of Marshall Clinton Thompson and Frieda Marie Bijeaux Thompson. Stan was born on October 2, 1939, in Patterson, the son of George Earl Amadore and Mabel Luke Amadore.
Lou and Stan will be sadly missed and lovingly remembered by six children, Jerri Lynn Giroir and husband John, Johnnie “Sue” Pearce, Diane L. Matherne and Kim Marie Amadore all of Berwick, Julie Ann Amadore and husband Mike of Thibodaux, Stanley Clinton Amadore of Village Mills, Texas and daughter in law Lisa Amadore of Warren, Texas; 18 grandchildren David Goodwin, Daniel Goodwin, Frances Hicks, John Giroir Jr., Timothy Giroir (Lynn), Kelli Sue Guidroz (Sue), Nikkie Marie Vasquez (Kim), Tyler Earl Amadore (Julie), Zouiee Hudgens, Terry Fendley, Garrett Amadore, Briana Amadore, Noah Amadore, Daylon Bowes and Clay Campbell (Stanley) ; 23 great grandchildren; one great-great grandchild; Lou’s siblings, Aubrey Thompson and wife Vicky, Goldie Marin and husband Donald, Wanda Thompson and Clint Thompson. Lou was also survived by one aunt Mathilda B. Anslum, one uncle Lester “Skinny” Beadle; Stan’s siblings, Leo Larry Amadore and Georgia Mae Peltier. Lou and Stanley leave behind numerous nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.
Lou was preceded in death by her parents and three infant brothers, Marshall Thompson, Lawrence Thompson and Ward Thompson. Stan was preceded in death by his parents and five siblings, Jerry Amadore, Maxine Malinchalk, Alice Buie Shinn, George David Amadore and Theresa Amadore.
A visitation for Stanley and Lou Amadore will be held from 5:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. on Friday, May 20, 2022, at Twin City Funeral Home with the visitation resuming on Saturday, May 21, 2022, from 8:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. at the funeral home. Funeral services honoring the lives of Stanley and Lou Amadore will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 21, 2022, at Twin City Funeral Home with Pastor Brian Head officiating. Following the services, Stanley and Lou will be laid to rest together in the Berwick Cemetery, military honors will be provided by the United States Navy Honor Guard for Stanley.

SYNTHIA DIANN DUVAL GRAVOIS

Thu, 05/19/2022 - 10:30am

Synthia Diann Duval Gravois, 42, a resident of Bayou L’Ourse, died May 11, 2022 at Ochsner Main Campus, New Orleans.
She is survived by her mother, Deann Richardson; husband, Joey Gravois; three children, Bethany Shubart, Dustin Anders and Cordell Anders; a grandson; brother, John Duval; and sister, Tammy Partain.
She was preceded in death by her father.
Twin City Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

SHIRLEY MAE MAYON BOUDREAUX

Thu, 05/19/2022 - 10:28am

July 20, 1941 — May 17, 2022
Shirley Mae Mayon Boudreaux, 80, a resident of Morgan City, passed away on Tuesday, May 17, 2022 at Legacy Nursing and Rehabilitation.
Shirley was born on July 20, 1941 in Morgan City, the daughter of Floyd Mayon and Margaret Couvillier Mayon.
Shirley was a lady who enjoyed doing many things and always keeping busy in life. She had a passion for fishing and never missed an opportunity to go. She also loved dancing, sewing and drawing. She loved her family and enjoyed the time she spent with them, but she cherished the time she was able to spend with her grandchildren.
She will be sadly missed and lovingly remembered by her husband, Michael Boudreaux of Morgan City; three children, Ronald LaCoste and wife Bernadine of Lake Arthur, Elizabeth Tabor and husband Brian of Bayou L’Ourse and Trudy Howard and husband Leslie of Schriever; nine grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; nine great-great-grandchildren; six siblings, Dolores Anslum and husband Terry of Morgan City, Betty Dupuy and husband Richard of Bayou Black, Janet Rivet and husband Tommy of Morgan City, Ray Mayon and companion Cecile Martin of Amelia, Kirk Mayon and wife Jennifer of Denham Springs and Marie Fryou and husband William of Bayou L’Ourse; former spouse, Phillip Lejeune.
Shirley was preceded in death by her parents; former spouse, Jerrel LaCoste; one daughter, Tammy LaCoste; one granddaughter, Sandy Lynn Boutwell; two brothers, Jerry Mayon and Donald Mayon; one sister, Patricia Ackman.
Funeral services were held at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, May 20, 2022 at Twin City Funeral Home with Deacon Brent Bourgeois officiating. A visitation was held from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the services and following the services, Shirley was laid to rest in the Morgan City Cemetery.

Terrebonne General nurse wins award

Thu, 05/19/2022 - 10:25am

Terrebonne General Health System announced that Vanessa Davidson BSN received the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing-Xi Zeta Chapter Excellence Award 2022 for Nursing Leadership Award. The award recognizes nurses who consistently practice excellence in a clinical setting, in nursing education, and/or in nursing leadership.
Davidson has been a member of the Terrebonne General team for 10 years. She began as a staff nurse, then worked as the clinical coordinator of the Telemetry Department, and shortly after that transitioned into the nurse director role of the Telemetry Department.
She is a board-certified cardiovascular RN and a member of the Louisiana Organization of Nurse Leaders.
Her leadership is prevalent in her nursing role, especially through the five COVID surges and the direct impact of Hurricane Ida, the hospital said in a press release.
"Davidson is an asset to Terrebonne General and works hard to put her nurses on a path of success."

Melanie Hill is Danos' new shale manager

Thu, 05/19/2022 - 10:22am

Danos has promoted Melanie Hill to general manager of shale. In her new role, she will be responsible for overseeing Danos’ activity in the Permian, Eagle Ford, Marcellus and Rocky Mountain areas.
In addition, she will manage Danos’ renewables business in Texas, California, New Mexico, Arizona and Nevada.
“Melanie has continuously proven to be an asset to Danos since she started with the company two years ago,” said owner and CEO Paul Danos. “We are grateful for the work that she has done to solidify and strengthen Danos’ business, and we are excited to welcome her to this new leadership role.”
With over 10 years of industry experience, Hill joined Danos in 2020 as a business development representative. She also served as the company’s onshore operations manager prior to her recent promotion to general manager of shale.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to lead the Danos shale and renewables teams and look forward to helping the company continue to solve big challenges for its customers,” said Hill.
Hill holds a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master of Pro-fessional Accountancy from Stephen F. Austin State University. She resides in Houston, Texas.

Jeremy Alford: Shape of the governor's race remains uncertain

Thu, 05/19/2022 - 10:19am

We’re 16 months away from Louisiana’s next open race for governor and nowhere close to having a settled field of candidates. By this point in any open contest for the state’s top gig, there would normally be a horde of politicos boxing each other out and making big announcements.
By now, voters should have a good idea who will qualify for governor. Instead, we have a field of at least 11 politicians who are in various stages of making a final decision. No one has officially announced, not in any traditional sense.
If there’s an important takeaway from these early days of the race, it’s that this election won’t be like others we’ve seen in Louisiana. Without a doubt, the coronavirus pandemic has shifted time lines, paused plans and revamped fundraising over the last few years. A late start for the decennial redistricting process is another factor.
There’s also a number of potential candidates for governor tied up with the current congressional election cycle that will be featured on fall ballots. Until those elections are decided, the field for governor cannot be set.
So when is this race finally going to take off? Based on interviews with and statements from the potential candidates, we could see a couple of official announcements this summer.
But some of the bigger names intend to wait until the end of the calendar year, or maybe even until early 2023.
Here’s what the contenders are saying…
—U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy of Baton Rouge (R): The senior senator has told reporters he will decide by the end of the year.
—U.S. Senate candidate Gary Chambers of Baton Rouge (D): While he’s busy right now challenging the re-election of U.S. Sen. John Kennedy, Chambers said he plans to take a hands-on approach to the 2023 race for governor. We won’t know exactly what that looks like until the current election cycle concludes.
—Congressman Garret Graves of Baton Rouge (R): He hasn’t ruled out a bid, but Graves has also been quick to add that he has “absolutely no plans to do it,” as he recently told Business Report. Like Chambers, Graves won’t fully show us his hand until after the fall elections.
—Sen. Sharon Hewitt of Slidell (R): “My current focus is leading the Senate Republican Delegation,” Hewitt said last week, “accomplishing our policy goals for this session and getting my bills passed, particularly those focused on education and protecting the unborn. After session, the first priority is to visit our sons and their families to celebrate my granddaughter’s second birthday. After we return, I will meet with my team to determine the best opportunity to continue serving the people of Louisiana and develop a game plan.”
—Attorney General Jeff Landry of New Iberia (R): “The Landry team is confident that when he makes such an announcement, everyone will know about it,” said consultant Brent Littlefield.
—Personal injury attorney Hunter Lundy of Lake Charles (I): In a previous interview, Lundy said he would have a decision by the end of the year.
—State Rep. Richard Nelson of Mandeville (R): “I am planning on making a decision by the end of the summer,” said Nelson.
—Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser of Belle Chasse (R): “I have a lot of work to do to rebuild tourism and clean up the state,” said Nungesser. “Later this year or early next year.”
—Treasurer John Schroder of Covington (R): Having already made a soft announcement to donors, Schroder has one foot in the race. Privately, he’s telling friends he’s all in. As for when he’ll make it officially official, he said, “That’s a good question I don’t have an answer to yet.”
—State Sen. Gary Smith of Norco (D): “After session we are going to focus on the race,” Smith said. “I have not set a deadline, but I am watching the others closely. I anticipate all serious candidates need to be on the move by the fall.”
—State Sen. Rick Ward of Maringouin (R): “Any decision or announcement would be this summer or fall I would think,” said Ward.
For now, we wait. But will all of the waiting be time well spent?
A late-developing race for governor will decrease the amount of time voters get to spend with the announced candidates. More time means more speeches and interviews, which leads to a better informed electorate that hopefully makes better decisions.
The downtime also allows the chatter around the race to be defined by personalities, rather than the policies that will affect the next administration.
To be certain, the candidates don’t need to drop everything they’re doing right this instance and announce — but sooner would definitely be better than later.
For more Louisiana political news, visit www. LaPolitics.com or follow Alford on Twitter @ LaPoliticsNow

Jim Brown: Getting old isn't all bad

Thu, 05/19/2022 - 10:16am

Jim Brown

I woke up from this strange dream last night. I got out of bed, looked in the new mirror and saw the face of a rather interesting old guy who just turned 82. Eighty-Two? And then it dawned on me. It wasn’t a dream. When I started writing regular columns back in the year 2000, 82 seemed awfully old. But guess what? I turn 82 this week.
I’ve written and published seven books. But unlike my books, I cannot start again from the beginning. No, I cannot rewind the video of my life, or step back in time.
So I looked again in the mirror, and told myself, look you are 82. Deal with it, and maybe even relish in all the experiences and fond memories. I think it was Lucille Ball who once said: “The secret of staying young is to live honestly, eat slowly, and lie about your age.” I’d rather acknowledge that age is strictly a case of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter. Well I don’t mind. And as I get older, I’m quick to quote Mark Twain who told his readers that wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been.
There is a disturbing article in a recent issue of Atlantic Magazine by a prominent physician at the University of Pennsylvania. Ezekiel J. Emanuelis an oncologist, a bioethicist, and a vice provost of the University. So he is a bright guy who knows a lot about health. His premise is that no one, in this day and age, should aspire to live longer than 75 years of age.
Now I would be skeptical of such an assertion no matter what my current age. I read the obituary section of several newspapers each day, and make note of a number of successful people who have lived a much longer lifespan. But the Atlantic article becomes more than a bit personal to me as I roar by the author’s premise that you don’t make the cut after 75.
The basis of Dr. Emanuel’s article is that, for most people, the quality of life diminishes after 75. He writes that aging “robs us of our creativity and ability to contribute to work, society and the world. We are no longer remembered as vibrant and engaged but as feeble, ineffectual, even pathetic.” He concludes by assuming that those who continue to be productive long after 75 are “outliers,” and far from the norm.
But what great philosopher or scientist has concluded that one has to be productive in later years? And just what does Dr. Emanuel mean by being productive? Productivity does not particularly mean that someone who is getting a bit older and slowing down must be creative. Isn’t the idea of retirement a pathway that allows seniors to absorb the world around them in any way they choose?
If being productive means that I’m hanging out with grand kids more, reading more, reintroducing myself to old friends who go back 60 years and beyond, taking an occasional music lesson, and even trying to be a more than passable cook, then yes, just like many of my current friends, I am being quite productive.
I’d like to think that I still have a long life ahead because I watch what I eat, and I workout a lot. My old college roommate is quick to remind me that the big advantage of exercising and diet is that I will die a lot healthier.
Reaching a milestone of three quarters of a century should not be that big a deal. After all, 82 is really just a number, isn’t it? Like a bunch of other numbers in your life. Dates, addresses, sums, phone numbers, passwords, and then, in the mix, is age. But I hope it is more than that. I wrote a few years back that my life has been, by any measure, full and hard living, with ups and downs too numerous to mention.
If there is a yin and a yang, the before and the after, what has happened and what is yet to be, then maybe eighty two is a special way-post for me. In fact, I really believe that I could be at the top of my game, and ready for the long and relaxing ride back down.
So to the good doctor who wants to shut his life down at 75, I say that’s your call; your freedom of choice. As for me, I still have a whole lot of living to do. And not just passive living.
Dylan Thomas said it best. “Do not go gentle into the night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light.”
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.

Sheriff joins local agencies in Click It Or Ticket campaign

Thu, 05/19/2022 - 10:12am

Sheriff Blaise Smith announced the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office will join other local law enforcement agencies in participating in the Click It or Ticket campaign which runs from May 23 through June 5. The campaign is coordinated and funded by the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Deputies will be checking motorists for proper seat belt and safety seat use, as well as other violations.
Click It or Ticket is a seat belt enforcement campaign aimed at increasing the national seat belt usage rate. According to the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission, in 2020, more than half of all young adults ages 18 to 34 killed in crashes were completely unrestrained. Men make up the majority of those killed in crashes, representing 67% of all passenger vehicle occupant deaths in 2020. Data shows that 55% of men killed in crashes were unrestrained, compared to 43% of women killed in crashes.
Smith and the deputies of the SMPSO encourage all motorists to be safer by using seat belts.