RSS Feed

State Senate passes congressional remap with one Black-majority district

Wed, 02/09/2022 - 10:57am

PIPER HUTCHINSON, LSU Manship School News Service

BATON ROUGE - The state Senate on Tuesday advanced a Republican plan to keep only one of the state’s six congressional districts with a majority of Black voters despite complaints from Democrats that there should be two.

Tensions were high on the floor as lawmakers debated how to redraw the maps for congressional and state Senate districts to reflect population changes in the 2020 Census

The GOP bill, sponsored by Sen. Sharon Hewitt, R-Slidell, passed 27-12, with all Republican senators supporting it and all Democrats opposing it.

The Senate also rejected, in another party-line vote, an amendment by Sen. Cleo Fields, D-Baton Rouge, that would have changed the maps to allow for two majority Black districts.

Fields said only five Black people who have been elected to Congress from Louisiana since reconstruction.

“Louisiana has elected more white congressman in one year that it has elected black congressmen in history,” he said.

Hewitt said it was possible that Fields’ plan could backfire and provide less minority representation, as both of Fields’ proposed majority Black districts had voting age populations around 52%. Her argument was that low Black turnout in those elections could enable white candidates to win.

Fields disagreed, saying the federal Voting Rights Act requires giving Black residents a chance to elect two minority representatives.

The Census showed that African Americans make up nearly one-third of the state’s population, while the white population has declined slightly.

Gov. John Bel Edwards, a Democrat, could veto the congressional maps if the Republican-led House agrees with the Senate version. Civil rights groups have said that they might sue if the Legislature does not create two majority-minority districts.

Sparks also flew between Hewitt, the chairwoman of a key Senate committee, and Sen. Karen Carter Peterson, D-New Orleans, over Hewitt’s hiring of a law firm to advise her on redistricting.

Peterson wanted to know why that was kept from Democrats and why the firm’s services were not available to all members.

Senate President Page Cortez, D-Lafayette, said no public money had been spent on the law firm. But he did not disclose how it had been paid.

There also was conflict Tuesday between Peterson and Sen. Cameron Henry, R-Metairie, over the proposed maps for state Senate districts.

Henry proposed an amendment to move three precincts that include Tulane and Loyola universities from Peterson’s district to his. Peterson is term-limited so will not be running again.

Peterson objected to major economic engines like the two universities being moved, saying they were the core of her district. Peterson also claimed that Henry wanted to move the precincts because his sister lives in one.

“He had already indicated to me that he couldn't pass up the opportunity to represent his own sister, which he shared with us,” Peterson said. “That is not a basis for redrawing a district.”

Henry acknowledged that his sister was in one of the precincts but did not say that was why he wanted them.

Peterson’s attempt to kill Henry’s amendment failed, but not before the two debated for over thirty minutes.

On the House side, Rep. Kenny Cox, D-Natchitoches, gave emotional testimony Monday to save his minority-majority House district.

House Speaker Schexnayder’s map would eliminate the district, placing parts of it in surrounding districts with white representatives, to create a new majority-minority district in New Orleans.

“I've been in the war, and I've had to do a lot of killing and a whole lot of things,” said Cox, who cannot run for re-election due to the term-limit law. “But this bothers me more. I have not been able to rest. Because we have a collective group, a historic district where people have something to vote for the first time in over 300 years.”
Rep. John Stefanski, R-Crowley and the chair of the House committee involved in the process, said that moving Cox’s district “was the most difficult decision of this entire map,”
Stefanski said House members told him that if a district had to be eliminated, they would prefer that it be one represented by a term-limited member.

Ochsner St. Mary happenings

Wed, 02/09/2022 - 10:39am

Submitted Photos
Top Photo: Friday was National Wear Red Day, and employees at Ochsner St. Mary wore red to raise awareness of the importance of heart health. Bottom Photo: For Catholic Schools Week, students from Central Catholic High School brought a King Cake to Ochsner St. Mary’s Emergency Department to show employees how much they appreciate all they do for the community. Pictured in the back row from left are Paul Lousteau, RN, Spencer Hebert, Madison Lancon, Grant Tamberella, Lucy Hamer, Hallie Crappell and Karley Marino, RN. Front row: Angelle Rachal, RN, Jennifer Wise, CNO, Gracie Pintado, Jena Sonnier, Abbie Scully, Olivia Black, Libby Sample, RN, and Dr. Scott Domingue.

Wheel House for Feb. 9

Wed, 02/09/2022 - 10:23am

LOSS OF SPOUSE
Support group meeting is noon Feb. 17 at VFW building, 1504 Sandra St., Morgan City. Open to anyone who has lost someone through death. For info call Doylene Porter, 985-384-3277.

BLACK HISTORY
Program at New Salem Baptist Church, 1412 Cherry St., Patterson, 9:30 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 20. Speaker: Patterson Police Chief Garrett Grogan. Public invited.

Jim Bradshaw: Irrigation project failed when money dried up

Wed, 02/09/2022 - 10:17am

Remnants of the Schell canal, “a great irrigating canal” that would pump water from Bayou Courtableau and send it into south Louisiana rice fields can still be seen near Washington in St. Landry Parish. It was the dream of J. Franklin Schell, who formed a company in 1906 to undertake what was called the largest engineering scheme ever in Louisiana. But he was not the first one to dream such large — and unrealized — dreams.
Welman Bradford, a civil engineer from Crowley, and state legislator Jonas W. Bailey Jr. were apparently the first to give serious thought to building a mammoth canal to irrigate the southwest Louisiana prairies.
The St. Landry Clarion reported in the spring of 1899 that Bradford and Bailey had raised enough money to begin work on “a huge canal, the head of which will be on bayou Courtableau … commencing one and a half miles north of Washington on the Wartelle plantation.”
Bradford, the newspaper said, was “an authority on the irrigation of rice fields,” who “for years … has been … figuring out excavation work, pumpage, etc.,” to map out “the most ambitious irrigating plan ever contemplated in Louisiana.”
The canal would be 250 feet wide and more than 50 miles long, and would be filled by four pumps pulling 33,500 gallons of water per minute from the bayou. That would be enough to irrigate more than 100,000 acres. Boats on “the immense ditch,” would serve a rice mill and warehouses built “six or eight miles apart.” The mill would handle 3,000 sacks of rice a day and employ 300 people.
“The plan is a comprehensive one and has been thoroughly thought out and planned,” the newspaper reported. “It is estimated that the work will cost thirteen million dollars but, according to Mr. Bradford and others competent to judge, the expense will be slight compared with the perpetual benefits to be derived therefrom.”
Still, that was a lot of money; $13 million then would be about $415 million today. Schell’s grand scheme cost about the same and he and Bradford were trying to find investors at the same time. Bradford was a better engineer; Schell was a better fundraiser.
Bradford’s St. Landry Irrigation and Development Co. broke ground first, but Schell was not far behind. The Clarion exulted in April 1903 that “the prospects of two mammoth canals through St. Landry Parish are glorious. … A few weeks ago, actual work was begun on … the Bradford Canal and now comes the cheering news that the one proposed by the Union Rice and Irrigation Company (or Schell) will be begun in the next ninety days.”
Bradford ran out of money quickly. Schell managed to build several miles of canal. In April 1911 his young daughter pushed a button and “powerful [pumps] jumped into action,” sending water into the short stretch of canal he had managed to build.
The pumps ran only a few years. Water flowed, but money didn’t. Schell built more than Bradford, but by 1915 his “largest engineering scheme ever” turned into the largest bankruptcy sale in St. Landry history.
You can contact Jim Bradshaw at jimbradshaw4321@gmail.com or P.O. Box 1121, Washington LA 70589.

Jim Brown: Get the politicians out of redistricting

Wed, 02/09/2022 - 10:11am

JIM BROWN

There’s a lot of wrangling, wheeling and dealing going on down at the state capital in Baton Rouge.
State legislators are presently meeting in a special session to re-draw the districts they represent. Such action is required to take place every 10 years under federal law.
Now in countries that have a democratic form of government, and in most states throughout the U.S., voters choose their elected officials.
But not in Louisiana. No, in the Bayou State, legislators, can you believe, actually choose the voters they want. That’s how it works in the Louisiana legislature.
So the question is should legislators, who have a vested interest in how the redistricting lines are drawn, actually do the drawing?
We always hear the dictum that elections have consequences. But in Louisiana, they don’t.
The Legislature is allowed to reapportion itself, so lawmakers vote for a reapportionment plan that protects their own self-interest.
They basically include in their districts voters who either don’t care how law-makers vote and often don’t vote at all, or by voters who are only concerned about party labels. Yellow dog democrats and knee jerk republicans both come to mind.
The problem is one of gerrymandering, where district lines are not drawn to reflect geographical or political balance, but to favor the incumbent or some other partisan choice.
When legislators do the redistricting, the norm seems to be that the state ends up with meandering footprints meticulously designed, it would seem, to ensure that no incumbent will face serious opposition regardless of how the political winds are blowing.
So what are the alternatives?
What are other progressive states doing to transfer the power of redistricting to a system less driven by self-interest?
Fourteen states have assigned the task to officials or panels outside the state legislature. And independent redistricting wears the cloak of good-government reform, as long as a consensus can be built on just who will serve on such panels. How do you pick the members?
How can such a system be put in place that assures voters the final result will be fair, non- partisan, and keep local interests balanced?
There are a number of bright people in Louisiana with solid business and educational backgrounds that are capable of taking on this controversial task.
The state has several respected demographers, and a number of well qualified professors at Louisiana universities.
Retired judges fit the category as well as representatives of some of the state’s good government groups.
One idea would be to create a Louisiana Fair Reapportionment Practices Commission. Let nominations for its members come from the legislature, the Supreme Court, the good government groups like PAR and CABL, the various college boards, and perhaps a key business group or two. Then put all the submissions in a hat, and draw out eleven names to serve as members to begin their work right after the new census data is made available.
The goal for such a com-mission is simple – put the important issue of redistricting into the hands of less vested interests instead of those who in the past have been allowed to define the terms of their own cartel. Simply put, it’s just wrong for legislators to draw these districts and then run in them. There needs to be a better way.
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.

St. Mary people like what they hear about possible estuary reserve

Wed, 02/09/2022 - 10:00am

Staff Report

More than 200 St. Mary people turned out Tuesday night to learn about and support a parish site for a National Estuarine Research Reserve, a designation with potential benefits for science, education and the local economy.

The committee charged with nominating a Louisiana site for what is known as a NERR, pronounced "near," held a town hall meeting Tuesday night at Morgan City Municipal Auditorium and drew about 130 people. More than 80 watched the meeting by Zoom.

They heard local people talk about the potential benefits: science education for K-12 students, some of whom might otherwise not have the chance to interact with nature; the potential for tourism; research that could help preserve Louisiana's vanishing coastline; and even a closer connection between the parish and young people who might otherwise leave in search of greater opportunity.

"It reminds me of all the things this community has to offer," Morgan City Court Judge Kim Stansbury said.

And Berwick Town Councilman Lud Henry said a NERR could help shape decisions about where people want to live.

"St. Mary Parish is where you want to be," Parish President David Hanagriff told the committee.

The parish -- actually, the Atchafalaya River Basin -- is one of three south Louisiana sites under consideration for the NERR site.

The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration oversees a network of 30 such reserves in estuary zones, roughly defined as an area where a river meets the sea. But the reserves are operated by the states, which pick up 30% of the cost of operations. NOAA pays the other 70%.

The federal operations budget for the NERRs was about $28.5 million in fiscal 2021, with another $4.5 million for acquisition, procurement and construction.

The purpose of the NERRS is to gather and spread information about the importance of estuarine ecosystems. The four goals, said selection team leader Brian Roberts of the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium, are stewardship, research, education and training.

NOAA will use the sites to set up monitoring stations for weather, water quality and other data. College students would use the NERR for training in their fields and to contribute to the body of research.

Organizers said 3.3 million people live within 100 miles of the Basin, and 2.2 million people live within 75 miles. And that means opportunities for tourism.

Kristin Ransom of NOAA's Office of Coastal Management pointed to the Mission Aransas NERR in Texas, where a nearby cattle ranch set up blinds for use in bird-watching. The area has a colony of endangered whooping cranes.

The blinds became a more lucrative enterprise than the cattle ranch, Ransom said.

She pointed to a slogan for the program: locally relevant, nationally significant.

"Cajun Coast would love to be part of this amazing program," said Carrie Stansbury, executive director for the Cajun Coast

Convention & Tourism Commission. She offered the use of the Cajun Coast visitor center for use in educational efforts.

About 456,000 students attend 860 schools near the Basin, Roberts said.

Morgan City High teacher Leslie Smith said she teaches students from many cultural backgrounds with few opportunities to bring them together.

"We need this here," Smith said. "We need something like this."

The St. Mary Excel citizens group has been a major supporter of a NERR site in the parish, and President Catherine Holcomb confirmed the group's support Tuesday night.

Morgan City Councilman Lou Tamporello and St. Mary School Board member Tammie Moore also spoke in favor. Henry read a letter of support from the Berwick Town Council.

The organizers repeated the answer to a frequently asked question: Will the NERR bring new federal regulations?

They said that because the site will be operated by the state, the existing land use rules at whatever site is selected will continue to be in force.

"You'll still be able to fish there," Roberts said. "Nothing is going to change."

Existing NERRs range in size from 573 acres for an Ohio reserve to 366,000 acres for one in Alaska.

One of the selling points for an Atchafalaya Basin reserve is that 65% of the Basin is already owned by the state.

Gov. John Bel Edwards notified NOAA about his intention to seek a NERR site for Louisiana in July 2019.

Six potential sites across south Louisiana were identified. The Atchafalaya is among the final three. The others are Barataria and Pontchartrain.

Organizers said they hope to have a recommendation ready for the governor this spring. The governor will send his recommendation to NOAA, followed by an environmental impact study, draft and final agreements between the state and NOAA, and the final decision. That process is expected to take additional months.

UPDATED MARDI GRAS SCHEDULE: Galatea ball is Feb. 12

Wed, 02/09/2022 - 8:36am

DIANE MILLER FEARS

dfears@daily-review.com

Next up on the Tri-City area Mardi Gras celebrations is the Krewe of Galatea.
Ball patrons are reminded that tableaus begin promptly and everyone should be seated 10 minutes prior to the krewe’s stated start time.
Krewe of Galatea
The mystick women’s Krewe of Galatea will hold its ball at 7:50 p.m. Saturday at the Morgan City Municipal Audit-orium. This is an invitation-only event.
Bidding adieu will be Queen and King of Galatea LI Mrs. Kenneth C. Cefalu and Bryan Belle.
Galatea will hold its parade at 2 p.m. Feb. 27 in Morgan City. The procession will organize on Second Street under the U.S. 90 Grizzaffi Bridge and proceed to Onstead Street, Sixth Street, Marguerite Street, Ninth Street, Clothilde Street, Victor II Boulevard and end at the auditorium on Myrtle Street.
Krewe of Amani
The Krewe of Amani will not hold a traditional ball this year and no royalty will be crowned. Krewe members do plan to have a Sneakers Ball from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Feb. 26 at the Patterson Area Civic Center. This is an invitation-only event.
Amani will hold its Lundi Gras parade at 1 p.m. Feb. 28 in Patterson. Participants will line up at Patterson High School and proceed down La. 182 (Main Street) towards Patterson where the procession will end at the Place Norman Shopping Center.
An after-parade Block Party will be held along Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue in Patterson.
Krewe of Hephaestus
The area’s oldest-chartered krewe, the Krewe of Hephaestus will hold its tableau at 8 p.m. Feb. 26 at the auditorium. Floor seating is by invitation only.
Making a farewell appearance will be King and Queen Hephaestus LX Allie “Al” Adams and Madeleine Margaret Hover.
Hephaestus will hold its parade at 2 p.m. on Fat Tuesday in Morgan City. The procession will organize on Sixth and Sycamore streets and proceed down Sixth Street to Marguerite Street, Ninth Street, Clothilde Street, and Victor II Boulevard, ending at the auditorium on Myrtle Street.
Krewe of Dionysus
The Krewe of Dionysus has opted not to hold a tableau and ball this year.
However, the krewe will host its Mardi Gras parade at 2 p.m. Feb. 26 in Berwick. The procession will line up on Gilmore Drive and turn on John Street, Robichaux Street, Mount Street, Gilmore Drive, right on La. 182, Tournament Boulevard, Fairview Drive then to Pattie Drive, where it will disband at Berwick Junior High School.
Members of the Krewe of Hannibal plan to parade at the end of Dionysus.
Dionysus will hold its After Parade Dance at the Berwick Civic Complex. Tickets are $15 and available from any krewe board member.
Krewe of Hannibal
The Krewe of Hannibal has also elected not to hold a tableau and ball.
Members of the krewe plan to parade at the end of Dionysus at 2 p.m. Feb. 26 in Berwick.
Siracusa/Greenwood
The Siracusa/Greenwood Community Mardi Gras Parade will be held at 2 p.m. Fat Tuesday.
Participants will line up on Siracusa Road at 1:30 p.m. then proceed to James Street and Grace Street before ending at the Siracusaville Recre-ation Center.
Anyone wishing to participate or needing information may call Leroy Trim or Kimberlin McPherson at 985-385-4224, or Mary Jones at 985-519-6971.
Parade Summaries
—Feb. 25, 7 p.m., Krewe of Adonis, Morgan City.
—Feb. 26, 2 p.m., Krewe of Dionysus, Berwick.
—Feb. 27, 2 p.m., Krewe of Galatea, Morgan City.
—Feb. 28, 1 p.m., Krewe of Amani, Patterson.
—Feb. 28, 7 p.m., Krewe of Hera, Morgan City.
—March 1, 2 p.m., Krewe of Hephaestus, Morgan City.
—March 1, 2 p.m., Siracusa/Greenwood Community, Siracusa Subdivision.

Get It Growing: Consider a gardening gift for Valentine’s Day

Wed, 02/09/2022 - 8:34am

By HEATHER KIRK-BALLARD, LSU AgCenter Horticulturist

Flowers and chocolates are the standard Valentine’s Day gifts — but if you would like to come up with something more original this year, it’s time to think beyond the typical bouquet of red roses. For the gardeners in your life, the gift of a live plant can be an excellent expression of your love.
Any live plant will do, but if you want to stick with flowers, why not give a plant that can be used to make cut flowers year after year? A great example of this is, of course, roses.
With a large array of colors and fragrances to choose from, there is no shortage of options with roses. If you are looking for fragrant roses, choose those classified as bourbon, tea or hybrid tea types.
Another shrub that produces excellent cut flowers is hydrangeas. Hydrangea paniculata varieties such as Limelight, White Wedding and Littlelime Punch are great options. Other hydrangeas include Big Daddy and Heart Throb. Heart Throb is a Hydrangea microphylla with cherry red flowers in the summertime, making it an appropriate selection for Valentine’s Day.
Perennials also make great cut flowers. Agapanthus (Lily of the Nile), gerbera daisies, calla lilies, coneflowers, dianthus, gaillardia, day lilies, black-eyed Susans and zinnias are a few more options.
You don’t have to stop there. You can find all sorts of gifts for gardeners. How about a good gardening book? These reference publications will help expand your gardener’s knowledge and serve them well for years to come.
A decorative planter is another great idea. Ceramic containers can be very ornate, although they often are heavy. Terracotta is traditional and affordable. Plastic plant containers are often the most economical and are lighter in weight. You can also find wooden and metal planters.
Indoor herb gardens can be great for your loved ones who are high-tech and have small spaces. Energy-efficient LED lights, plant pods and a reservoir for water make it easy to have your own kitchen garden.
Houseplants are extremely trendy and easy to care for. You can easily find a live plant at most any florist. Floral jewelry also can be a great gift, and do not forget gift cards to local retail garden centers.
Need more ideas? Try gardening tools, garden art, watering cans, seeds, seed starter kits, trellises, plant stakes, harvesting baskets, gardening shears, bird feeders and houses, composting bins, bulb vases, gardening gloves, shoes and hats.
If you don’t want to give an actual gift, why not take your valentine for an outing at a public garden? What could be more romantic than a stroll holding hands out in nature and enjoying the outdoors? There is a public garden in or near almost every town.
A list of public gardens are the LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens at Burden, LSU Hilltop Arboretum, Cohn Arboretum and Independence Botanical Gardens in Baton Rouge; Jungle Gardens in Avery Island; Louisiana State Arboretum in Ville Platte; Louisiana Tech University Arboretum in Ruston; Biedenharn Museum and Gardens in Monroe; LSU AgCenter Hammond Research Station in Hammond; The Gardens of the American Rose Center in Shreveport; and the New Orleans Botanical Garden.
In addition, of course, many private gardens can be toured for small fees, such as Afton Villa Gardens and Rosedown Gardens in St. Francisville; Houmas House and Gardens in Darrow; and Longue Vue House and Gardens in New Orleans. The list could go on. It is easy to research gardens near you to plan an outing.
The sky is the limit when it comes to Valentine’s Day gifts for gardeners. When in doubt, though, a bouquet of flowers is a sure winner. And, above all, don’t forget the most important gift you can give on this holiday: spending time together.

Innocent internet search reveals a shocking secret

Wed, 02/09/2022 - 8:32am

By Jeanne Phillips, ©United Features Syndicate

DEAR ABBY: I recently Googled my brother-in-law to see if I could find his birthdate, which I had forgotten. When his name came up, so did some information I wish I hadn’t seen.
He’s a convicted sex offender (rape) who has served time. I am assuming my sister knows about his past. But what if she doesn’t? I don’t want to say anything to her, because if she already knows, she’ll be upset that I now know. If she doesn’t know and I tell her, I’m afraid she may blame me for messing up a good thing.
Should I talk to him and ask him if he’s told her? Or should I leave things alone and let things play out naturally? I was shocked by the revelation because it doesn’t fit the man I know.
SHOCKED IN THE SOUTH

DEAR SHOCKED: Are you 100% sure the information you found is about your brother-in-law? If it’s true, the revelation that there is a felon in the family (and for rape, yet!) would shock anyone.
Talk to your sister. Explain that you forgot the date of her husband’s birthday and what you discovered. It’s entirely possible that she knows about his past. But if she doesn’t, direct her to the site from which you got that information, because she’s entitled to know.

DEAR ABBY: My grandson is 30. He lives at home with his mother and father, both of whom are retired. He doesn’t have a job, nor is he actively seeking one. The only so-called job he ever had in his life was as a security guard at a college museum, working some 20 hours per week.
He is healthy but seems to be content to continue living off his parents. They sent him to college, and he says he has a degree. His mother has told me she would never kick him out of the house. I think he should be forced to get a real job. His resume would be pathetic, but I believe if he stays on this course, he’ll never be self-supporting. What do you think?
REALISTIC GRANDPA IN FLORIDA

DEAR GRANDPA: I think you are correct. Your grandson is not a self-starter and, thanks to his parents’ “generosity,” he will never find the motivation to become independent. Nothing will change until his parents realize they need to encourage their son to grow up and leave the nest.

DEAR ABBY: My middle-aged daughter and her family have been estranged from me for several years, including the last year of her father’s sad battle with dementia. I am told my grandson has been taught to refer to me as “The Devil,” although I don’t know why.
Recently, her husband (my son-in-law) emailed me a list of possessions from my home that they now expect to have. My late husband’s wedding ring was included on the list. What would you say to the demands for items from an adult child with whom you have no relationship?
OUT OF THEIR LIVES IN VIRGINIA

DEAR OUT: Please accept my sympathy for the loss of your husband. As to what “I” would say in response to these grasping relatives, I wouldn’t dignify their demand with any response at all.
***
Abby shares more than 100 of her favorite recipes in two booklets: “Abby’s Favorite Recipes” and “More Favorite Recipes by Dear Abby.” Send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $16 to: Dear Abby, Cookbooklet Set, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447.

GERALD DONALD FRANKLIN SR.

Wed, 02/09/2022 - 8:03am

Gerald Donald Frank-lin Sr., 74, a native and resident of Franklin, died Sunday, Jan. 30, 2022, at his residence.
Visitation will be Thursday from 10 a.m. until services at noon at Jones Funeral Home in Franklin. Masks and social distancing re-quired. Services accessi-ble on funeral home Facebook page. Burial will follow at Franklin Cemetery.
He is survived by chil-dren, Gerald Franklin Jr. and Jarret Thomas, both of Houston, Jude Franklin of New Iberia, Justin Hawkins of Broussard, Donald Lightfoot of Morgan City, Gerian Lightfoot of Lafayette, Germaine Yarber and Michelle Fernandez, both of Franklin, Jessica Johnson of Verdunville and Geralyn Hawkins of New Orleans; sister, Catherline Shepherd of Franklin; 30 grandchil-dren; nine great-grandchildren; and a host of other relatives.
He was preceded in death by his parents and maternal grandpar-ents.
Jones Funeral Home is in charge of arrange-ments.