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The New Generation forum returned Thursday after a COVID hiatus, offering St. Mary Parish high school students a chance to present their ideas for improving their community.
The forum, a project of the Rotary Club of Morgan City, had moments of entertainment. Nathan Adams of Hanson Memorial, who became the school's sole New Generation team member 48 hours in advance, paced the gym floor at Morgan City High with the confidence of a revival tent preacher as he argued for a more practical approach for high school courses.
Other moments tugged at the heart. West St. Mary High students proposed a park on vacant land at the school. Young people need something to do, a place to interact, they said.
When they don't have constructive pursuits, the students said, bad things happen. They pointed to a string of violent incidents in the Baldwin area, including the 2020 murder of a 15-year-old.
The ideas at New Generation over the last 27 years have come from young people, but that doesn't mean they're kid stuff. Some of those ideas have resulted in a Morgan City dog park, intergenerational mixers in Berwick and improvements at Centerville's park.
"We've had a lot of fun with this," said master of ceremonies Scott Melancon. "That's the other side of the coin."
If there was theme at Thursday's event, it was young people finding ways to help young people.
Among the presentations:
--Berwick High's team found a way to support the local drive to name the Atchafalaya as the site of a proposed National Estuarine Research Reserve. The Basin is one of the final three sites under consideration for the proposed reserve, which would offer opportunities for field trips and environmental education.
The students proposed a student-to-student campaign using Tik Tok, Instragram and Twitter. They also encouraged students to use social media to lobby for the Basin site with messages to officials.
"It will employ 62 -- biologists, high-paying jobs," Berwick Mayor Duval Arthur said after the student preentations. "If we get this in St. Mary Parish, it'll be a blessing."
Berwick's team was composed of Annabelle Ruiz, Grant White, Jase Mendez, Summerlyn Schwatz, Cherish Lewis and Mika Ortiz.
--Morgan City High students proposed a series of steps to bring young people closer to potential employers in local businesses, including tours and small-group sessions in which employers talk about the skills they need in the workforce.
The team also suggested additions to Lawrence Park and the possible use of a vacant downtown building as an event space and meeting place for youth groups.
Christina Williams, Antanio Zavala, Ainsely Fontenot and Addison Loupe were the Morgan City High team.
--For Hanson, Adams made the argument for a shift in focus for high school courses toward practical education involving renting a house, preparing taxes and other life skills.
He encouraged officals to seek funding through grants for the curriculum changes.
--Patterson High students suggested an "After the Bell" program at Hattie Watts Elementary, where high school Key Club members would be available after school for help with homework and activities such art.
St. Mary Superintendent Dr. Teresa Bagwell invited the students to help with an existing after-school program at Hatties Watts. Holden Murray, the human resources director for Patterson city government, noted that tutoring at the city's community center has resumed after COVID and said that program could use help, too.
Presenting for Patterson High were Zakiyah Merritt, Alexander Kyle and Bailey Dreyer.
--Central Catholic's team came with color tri-fold brochures proposing a springtime Community Day at Lake End Park, with vendor booths that showcase the work of local people.
"We will abe able to reach all generations with this, as well as the future generations," the brochure said.
"This would be a perfect way to bounce back from COVID," said Lucy Kincade.
Joining her on the Central Catholic team were Emmy Robison and Addison Loupe.
--West St. Mary's team hopes to see improvements on the vacant area near the school. They'd like to see a track, basketball courts, a fitness area and batting cages.
"This idea," said Laila Charles, "will help us engage in activities, keep us connected and build relationships with each other."
Joining Charles were Chaila Channette, Shalisa Gabriel, Taihyila Dominick, Arbrey Jones and Anyrie Weber.
--Franklin High's suggestion was a way to guide college-bound students on their path beginning when they're freshmen and sophomores.
Students would be exposed to college campuses and would undergo an inventory of their interests.
The program would help students who don't qualify for other programs such as Outward Bound, the team members said.
Representing Franklin High were Anirya Smith, Cloe Rineholt, Irvin James, Seth Archangel, Ledaisha Coates and Steccid Alama.
--Centerville High's team members, as did some of their New Generation predecessors, focused on the community's park.
The team has a three-year plan for "Pockets of Peace." The first year includes lights, restrooms, a pavilion and drinking fountains.
The second year of the plan calls for a water feature, updated playground equipment, turf and a fitness station. And the third year would bring greenery, updated landscaping, artwork and an updated baseball park.
The team showed photos of playground equipment at other local parks.
"I would totally play there," said team member Camen Dooley, "and I'm 18."
With Dooley on the team were Maci Jackson, Mylee Buford and Alexis Estay.

Before the joyous Easter celebration comes the solemn and prayerful Lenten season. Even the devoutly religious may not know all there is to know about this penitential season.
The following are some questions and answers about Lent.
When does Lent occur?
Lent is a period of 40 days preceding Easter Sunday. Since 1969, Lent has begun on Ash Wednesday and has ended on the evening of the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday. Since Sundays are not calculated in that time frame, Lent actually lasts 46 days.
When did Lent begin?
The first Christians approached each Sunday as a celebration of Easter, and each day of the week was considered a time to prepare for the Sunday celebration. Beginning in the fourth century in Europe, dates began to be established for Christmas and other religious dates of significance. The pattern of 40 days of preparation and penance started to emerge around this time.
According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, the first mention of the term “tessarakoste,” meaning “40” in Greek, could be found in the early years of the fourth century. As Greek gave way to Latin in liturgies, tessarakoste was replaced with “quadragesima,” meaning 40 days. Christians started the tradition of Lent around the year 325 during the Council of Nicea.
Why 40 days?
The Compass News says the 40 days of Lent refer to Christ’s 40 days spent in the desert after His baptism. Just as Jesus prayed and fasted, so, too, did the church and its faithful.
Why is it called Lent?
Scholars suggest the word “Lent” is derived from “lengten,” an Anglo-Saxon word for spring, which also is related to the German word “lenz,” meaning spring. By the 11th century, the Oxford English Dictionary notes that “Lent” had taken on the Christian usage it has today, and the generic term for springtime disappeared.
Where do Ash Wednesday’s ashes come from?
Lent begins with Ash Wednesday, when ashes are spread on the foreheads of followers in the sign of the cross to signal their repentance to God. The ashes are derived from burning the palm fronds from the previous year’s Palm Sunday.
Why are priests’ garments purple during Lent?
Purple long has been considered a royal color, and purple garb, along with a crown made from thorns, was placed on Jesus to mock him as the “King of the Jews.”
Purple/violet became a symbol of the sovereignty of Christ and also was associated with repentance from sin. That is why violet is worn by clergy during Lent, as well as during Advent, the season that precedes Christmas.
How is Lent connected to Passover?
Religious scholars contend that the “Last Supper” took place on what is now known as Holy Thursday. The meal was a seder, a ritual meal held in celebration of the Jewish holiday of Passover. According to the Gospels of Mark, Matthew and Luke, Jesus prepared for the Last Supper on the “first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb.”
Lent is a powerful time on the Christian calendar during which the faithful prepare for the glory of Jesus Christ’s life after death.

BATON ROUGE--The House Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice advanced a bill Thursday that would allow parents who are convicted of killing their minor children to receive the death penalty.

HB68, authored by Rep. Barbara Carpenter, D-Baton Rouge, would add minor children of the offender to the list of victims of the crime of first-degree murder.

In her opening remarks, Carpenter brought up recent cases of Louisiana parents who had killed their children and told the committee that members of her community had asked her to address the issue.

“Parents of babies have literally killed these babies, and something needs to be said or done,” Carpenter said. “Right here in Baton Rouge, the death of a two-year-old kid. The mom got upset because the child was playing with her eyeglasses, and she hit the baby, and the baby died. The boyfriend and the mama put the baby in a suitcase, drove it to Mississippi and buried it.”

Current law includes all minors under the age of 12 on the list of victims for whom killers can receive the death penalty.

Rep. Richard Nelson, R-Mandeville, asked why the Legislature would add ages 12-18 only in cases where the victim is the child of the offender.

“If I kill my own child, now it'll be first degree murder if they're 13, but if I kill somebody else's child, it will not be first-degree murder,” Nelson said.

Carpenter replied that in her opinion, it did not matter, as “killing a child is killing a child.” But she said she wanted to address parents who deliberately kill their child.

“You just can't go around killing children, period,” Carpenter said.

Rep. Denise Marcelle, D-Baton Rouge, opposed the bill, as she supports abolishing the death penalty.

“I just don't believe that this is the direction that we should be going,” Marcelle said. “We should be eliminating the death penalty, period, because it doesn't serve the purpose that we need in our state. The public defender spends millions defending people that never ever, never, ever are sentenced to death.”

Remy Starns, the State Public Defender, also brought up the cost of defending death penalty cases in his testimony to the committee.

“As the State Public Defender, I spend $7.7 million a year defending the death penalty,” he said, adding that $1.4 million of that is post-conviction. “The other $6.2 or $6.3 million is for trial-level appellate, almost none of which results in the death penalty,” Starns said.

Starns said he agreed with Marcelle.

“I think at very least, we should be reducing the number of crimes that are death penalty, not increasing,” Starns said. “We should look to address the crimes and the punishments in different ways.”

Carpenter was asked if a fiscal note had been prepared for the bill, which would show what the cost of the bill would be to the state. Carpenter said that there was not one, adding she had no interest in adding one.

Michael Cahoon, an organizer with the progressive Promise for Justice Initiative, spoke in opposition to the bill.

He said most death sentences in Louisiana “have been overturned, for some reason, be it sentencing, post-conviction exoneration, whatever the different reasons are.”

“I think making the code duplicative and kind of more muddy, will contribute to that already huge problem,” Cahoon said. “I think, for victims of these horrible crimes and their families, these shaky convictions aren't doing them a service.”

The bill cleared committee, with just Marcelle and Rep. Joseph Marino, I-Gretna, in opposition.

September 16, 1956 — March 20, 2022
Ralph Sidney Patterson Jr., 65, a resident of Bayou Vista, passed away Sunday, March 20, 2022.
Ralph was born September 16, 1956, in Houston, Texas, the son of Ralph Sidney Patterson Sr. and Lois Sosamon Jones.
Ralph was a god-loving man, with a huge heart. He welcomed his wife’s kids as his own and raised them since they were of a very young age; his greatest gift was his grandchildren. Ralph was an electrician most of his life, and was great at his job. He had a great humor and everyone enjoyed being around him. Ralph’s passion was bikes; he loved his motorcycle and took pride in it. He would ride his bike every single day.
He will be sadly missed and lovingly remembered by his wife of 28 years, Velma Sanders Patterson of Bayou Vista; four children, Jeremey Swanson of Huntsville, Texas, Dwayne Dupre and wife Cherie of Patterson, Nicole Sanders and fiancé Wilbur Richard Jr., Christopher Patterson Sr. and wife Courtney of Bayou Vista; 10 grandchildren, Dillon Swanson, Amber Swanson, Ashley Swanson, Samantha Stansbury, Aimee Stansbury, Jaileigh Swanson, Brittlynn Vining, Zoie Patterson, Blaire “Bob” Patterson, and Christopher Patterson Jr.; four great-grandchildren, Kylie Swanson, Kyle Swanson, Madilyn Anslem, and Emmalee Swanson; mother and father-in-law, Bryian and Dianne Sanders; brother-in-law, Byron Sanders; like his brothers, Lester Burton, Rick Shipp, and Steve Beck; his fur-babies, Ruthie and Spot.
Ralph was preceded in death by his parents, Ralph Sr. and Lois Jones; son, Eric Swanson.
Funeral services will be held at 7:00 p.m., Friday, March 25, 2022, at Twin City Funeral Home with Brother Lonnie Ribardi officiating. Visitation will be held Friday, March 25, 2022 at Twin City Funeral Home from 4:00 p.m. until the time of services.