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Around Town for Jan. 26

Wed, 01/26/2022 - 10:24am

Belated happy birthday Tony Clay and Tina Challot from family, friends and Ira.

CONCERT
The Diamonds will perform at 7 p.m. Feb. 14 at the Morgan City Municipal Auditorium as part of the Morgan City Live, Community Concert Association, 2021-22 concert season. The internationally renowned group will perform Broadway music. Tickets: $25, adults; $5, student K-12; available at the door. Season tickets, $45, adults; $10, students; also available at the door or at morgancitylive.com.

Jim Brown: Louisiana drivers are earning a rep as nation's worst

Wed, 01/26/2022 - 10:21am

JIM BROWN

Louisiana has worst drivers in the U.S.!
Say it isn’t so.
The Bayou State, made up of docile souls who are law- abiding, courteous and well-trained motorists, has just been tagged by several rating services as having the worst drivers in the nation.
Look, the folks down here in the deepest of the Deep South states do get a little rowdy now and then.
Maybe Mardi Gras and Saturday night in Tiger Stadium.
But day in and day out, we are a bunch of lousy drivers? It just can’t be!
Ah, mon cher, but the facts don’t lie. Pick your category of worst driving habits and you will see Louisiana motorists at the bottom of the ranking barrel.
Some ratings agencies have even suggested that out of state drivers make a U-turn when they approach the Louisiana state line.
Here are a few of the reasons why.
CarInsuranceComparison.com rates Louisiana as the No. 1 state for failure to obey, No. 5 in careless driving, sixth in drunk driving, fourth in average number of fatalities, and an overall rating of No. 1 for worst drivers.
Bankrate.com reaches the same conclusion that the worst drivers in the country are in Louisiana.
Road rage is front and center in a number of metropolitan areas where irate drivers have gunned down a number of drivers where confrontations have taken place.
Any number of hit and runs are a regular occurrence all over the state.
On interstates, you would think you were competing in the Daytona 500.
Not just a few, but hundreds of cars whiz by zipping along at 80, 85 or 90 mph without giving a second thought to how much over the speed limit they are traveling.
The law is clear that when your windshield gets wet, drivers are required to turn on their headlights.
On a trip to New Orleans on I-10, it seemed that every sixth or seventh car, in a major downpour, ignored the law and traveled without the car’s lights turned on.
DWIs? The penalties are strict, but too often are not imposed.
A driver in Livingston Parish appeared in court recently following multiple DWIs and a host of other drug related citations and arrests. He walked away with a suspended jail sentence and a small fine.
For a third offense DWI, the Louisiana law is quite clear.
Jail time, loss of driving privileges for 5 years, and the driver’s car is impounded and sold.
Too tough for such a violation? Heck no! Get these irresponsible drunks off the roads.
The state police, who should have an acceptable level of troopers out on the interstates, are dramatically understaffed and are several hundred troopers short just for highway duty.
Under the Jindal administration, not one new trooper was hired and trained for the last five years.
The Louisiana legislature, in its wisdom, can find over one billion dollars for corporate giveaways, and millions for football and basketball teams, but no money to hire more of those who protect us.
Bad driving habits are based on personal responsibility and the right attitude.
Laissez les bon temps rouler just doesn’t cut it when it comes to safety on the highways.
There’s a brashness and arrogance by many drivers that endangers the rest of us. More enforcement is necessary, but it’s going to take the governor and the legislature to step up and fund a major crack down. There is a lot at stake.
Jim Brown is a foermer Louisiana commissioner of insurance.

Jim Bradshaw: Louisiana man's country melody became a pop hit

Wed, 01/26/2022 - 10:16am

JIM BRADSHAW

The Andrews Sisters and Webb Pierce were among the diverse artists who propelled the song “Wondering” into national prominence in the early 1950s as a song to dance to and one that rose high upon the old Hillbilly Hit Parade.
We still hear it from time-to-time on “oldies” radio stations, and some of us remember the lyric, “I wonder if she’s wondering, too.”
But I wonder how many folks remember that the song was written by Rayne’s Joe Werner while he sipped coffee in Paco’s Café.
“It was back in my courtin’ days,” he said.
“One day I sat down and started picking away at the guitar and playing the harmonica and the tune fell together. I worked out the words the same way. It was in Paco’s Cafe over in Rayne. I had the song and words before I left Paco’s that night.”
Joe, whose day job was rural circulation director for the Crowley Daily Signal, wrote the song nearly 20 years before it became a national hit, and its roots go beyond even that.
He was just a kid when Santa brought him a harmonica for Christmas and he began “fooling with music,” he said in a 1952 newspaper interview.
He liked doing that, and got pretty good at it.
He’d developed “a unique way of whistling,” and added a guitar to his repertoire, by the time he became a regular on “The Saturday Night Barn Dance” on Crowley’s KSIG radio station.
He got his first musical paycheck in the 1930s, when he won $80 in a talent contest sponsored by Heymann’s department store in Lafayette,
“Wondering” was one of the songs he played then, but only local audiences were listening.
It was just by chance that it eventually caught the nation’s ear.
Joe was playing with the Hackberry Ramblers in 1937, when they were invited to New Orleans by RCA-Bluebird records to play, among other songs, the first recorded version of the Cajun national anthem, “Jolie Blonde” under that title.
(It had previously been recorded as “Ma Blonde Est Parti.”)
Joe struck up “Wondering” during that session and, he said, “it struck up a sharp note with the boys of RCA.”
They recorded it, and it began to get regular play across the United States, as well as in Canada and Europe.
But it didn’t really take off until 1952, when Webb Pierce recorded it and it went up to the top on the Hillbilly Hit Parade.
That caught the attention of some other big names, including Bing Crosby.
The Andrews Sisters’ recording for Decca was much different than Pierce’s country version, and helped it cross over into popular music venues, bringing a wider audience still.
“I always thought it was a good song,” Joe said in that 1952 interview, and that he was enjoying the royalty he was getting from records and sheet music.
But he was a sensible man, and said he wasn’t giving up his day job.
Joe continued to write columns for the newspaper and made occasional appearances in south Louisiana until he moved to Fort Worth with his wife Anne. He died there in 1978.
You can contact Jim Bradshaw at jimbradshaw4321@gmail.com or P.O. Box 1121, Washington LA 70589.

Adonis tableau is Jan. 29

Wed, 01/26/2022 - 8:31am

King and Queen Adonis XLV Dean Adams and Mrs. Warren Mayon will make a farewell appearance Saturday when the men’s Krewe of Adonis holds its tableau and ball at 8 p.m. at the Morgan City Municipal Auditorium. Floor seating is invitation only. The krewe will hold the Tri-City area’s first parade of the Mardi Gras season at 7 p.m. Feb. 25 in Morgan City.

Creole jambalaya differs from Cajun jambalaya

Wed, 01/26/2022 - 8:30am

You don’t need to live in Louisiana to enjoy jambalaya.
Perhaps nowhere is jambalaya more serious business than it is in the Pelican State. Cajun jambalaya might be the dish most familiar to the masses, but Creole jambalaya is just as tasty.
Creole chefs in New Orleans serve this type of jambalaya, which is different from the Cajun dish due to the inclusion of tomatoes. Tomatoes might have been hard to come by in the Louisiana bayous, which might be why there were not included in traditional Cajun jambalaya recipes.
Mardi Gras and its focus on food and drink is a perfect time to explore one’s culinary horizons, and those curious about Creole jambalaya can do just that by whipping up this recipe from Neal Corman and Chris Peterson’s “Virgil’s Barbecue Road Trip Cookbook” (St. Martin’s Press).
JAMBALAYA
Seasoning Mix
1 Tbsp. dried parsley flakes
1¼ tsp. cracked black pepper
2 tsp. kosher salt
1¼ tsp. sweet paprika
½ tsp. dried basil
1½ tsp. dried thyme
¾ tsp. ground white pepper
1½ tsp. onion powder
1½ tsp. garlic powder
Jambalaya
2 lbs. boneless, skin-on chicken thighs
12 shrimp, peeled, deveined, tail on
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
¼ cup olive oil, divided
5 oz. andouille sausage, finely diced
4 oz. Tasso ham, finely diced
2 cups finely diced yellow onions
1 cup finely diced celery
1½ cups finely diced green bell pepper
1 Tbsp. chopped garlic
3 dried bay leaves
1¾ cups converted rice
2 cups finely diced fresh plum tomatoes
1 cup clam juice
2 cups chicken stock
Salt and pepper, to taste
1. In a small bowl, blend seasoning mix together and set aside.
2. Cut each chicken thigh in half, and evenly dust thighs with 1½ tablespoons of seasoning mix. Dust shrimp with about 1½ teaspoons of the mix.
3. In a low and wide 6-quart (or larger) stockpot, add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sauté shrimp for about 1 minute per side. Remove shrimp and set aside.
4. Repeat process with the chicken, using the remaining oil. Remove chicken and set aside.
5. In the same pot, brown sausage and ham. Add remaining butter, onions, celery, bell pepper, garlic and bay leaves, and cook for 4 minutes.
6. Add rice, stirring to coat it with the mixture. Sauté for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes more.
7. Add clam juice, chicken stock and chicken thighs. Bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 30 minutes, and then check the rice for tenderness and ensure the chicken is cooked through.
8. Fold in the shrimp and cook for another 3 minutes. Remove bay leaves, taste, add salt and pepper, as desired, and serve.
Serves 4 to 6

Web browsing prompts feelings of inadequacy

Wed, 01/26/2022 - 8:28am

By Jeanne Phillips, ©United Features Syndicate

DEAR ABBY: I’m a lesbian. My girlfriend and I have been together for a couple of months now. We fell in love quickly and we’re getting ready to move in together. I’m really excited about it, but an “incident” happened recently while we were spending time together.
We were watching TV, and I noticed she was on a website looking at women wearing bikinis. At first I thought, “Are you serious? Right in front of me?” So I looked over and asked her about it. She looked back at me and said, “What?” It made me feel incredibly insecure.
I know she loves me, but she doesn’t understand how hurt I was seeing that. It made me feel like I’m not enough.
What should I tell her? Should I break up with her? Or am I wrong to feel this way?
TORN IN SOUTH CAROLINA

DEAR TORN: Your relationship is new. Looking at pictures of people dressed in swimming attire is hardly indicative of a porn addiction or a hint that you are not “enough.”
Before you two move in together, you both need to talk this through, and you ABSOLUTELY need to learn to deal with your feelings of insecurity because, if you don’t, they could eventually drive away any of your love interests.
Please, get to know each other for a longer period before taking your relationship to the next level by moving in.

DEAR ABBY: I’m 44 and divorced. I have no kids and I live with my parents.
I didn’t finish college but I do have a job in my field of study. I’m happy in my job, have some friends and am content to not date anyone ever again.
However, I feel like I’m a failure.
I’d be embarrassed to go to a school reunion and have to tell my former classmates about my pathetic life. I was always the ambitious one in my circle of friends. I was the one who was going to make something of myself and have an amazing career, a husband and kids.
My parents are disabled, and it does help that I live with them. I pay rent/utilities and for my own groceries.
How can I convince myself that I haven’t made a complete mess of my life and that my circumstances don’t mean my life has been wasted?
SELF-CONSCIOUS IN ARIZONA

DEAR SELF-CONSCIOUS: While you may not have achieved the lofty goals you set for yourself when you were younger, you are being awfully hard on yourself by calling yourself a “failure.”
You have a job you love, in the field in which you want to work, and good friends. (In order to have friends, you have to be one.)
I assume the reason you are content to no longer date is past relationships didn’t work out. If I’m right, that makes you a member of a very large club.
Please try to remain open-minded, because one day you may meet someone you can care about and who will appreciate the value in you. And caring for your disabled parents is a heavy responsibility, and needs to take priority over a social life.
A way to counteract these self-defeating, negative feelings would be to concentrate every day on those things you HAVE accomplished, rather than what you perceive to be your shortcomings, instead of comparing yourself to others.
***
For everything you need to know about wedding planning, order “How to Have a Lovely Wedding.” Send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $8 to: Dear Abby, Wedding Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447.

Parish Council will see ordinances condemning Plantation Inn, changing rules for traffic control

Tue, 01/25/2022 - 5:03pm

Staff Report

Newly elected St. Mary Parish Council Chairwoman Dr. Kristi Prejeant Rink will gavel a meeting to order for the first time Wednesday, when the council will get a look at ordinances condemning the Plantation Inn in Bayou Vista and changing the way decisions about placing stop signs are made. Rink was elected to the chair at the Jan. 12 meeting.

The council will meet at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Parish Courthouse in Franklin.

The agenda includes possible introduction of an ordinance by Gwendolyn Hidalgo of Bayou Vista, who was re-elected vice chairwoman Jan. 12. That's the ordinance that would condemn the fire-damaged Plantation Inn, 815 U.S. 90, because it is in "a dilapidated and dangerous condition which endangers the public welfare." The ordinance would order the hotel's demolition with 60 days.

Scott Ramsey of Bayou Vista also hopes to introduce his traffic sign ordinance. At the Jan. 12 meeting, Ramsey pulled back a proposed ordinance that would have removed stop signs from Jupiter Street at the intersection with Columbus and removing stop signs from Universe at the Saturn-Universe four-way stop.

Hidalgo objected to the ordinance, saying the signs are needed to protect children at bus stops as well as seniors who live in the area. She presented petitions from neighborhood residents hoping the signs will remain.

Ramsey pointed to state and federal traffic control guidance that say stop signs aren't a good way to control speed, and that too many stop signs lead to noncompliance. Ramsey said he would return with an ordinance requiring traffic control changes to be reviewed by an engineer.

Morgan City police radio logs for Jan. 24

Tue, 01/25/2022 - 4:37pm

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.
Monday, Jan. 24
12:47 a.m. 7200 block of La. 182; Complaint.
8:44 a.m. 100 block of Egle Mill Lane; Disturbance.
10:32 a.m. 1500 block of Chester Bowles Street; Theft.
11:54 a.m. 600 block of Third Street; Animal complaint.
12:41 p.m. 200 block of Glenwood Street; Medical.
12:48 p.m. 900 block of Florence Street; Animal complaint.
12:51 p.m. 3100 block of Roselawn Drive; Theft.
15:52 p.m. 7200 block of La. 182; Complaint.
7:28 p.m. 300 block of Fifth Street; Complaint.
7:53 p.m. 700 block of Myrtle Street; Assistance.
9:17 p.m. 1100 block of McDermott Drive; Complaint.
9:29 p.m. 700 block of Freret Street; Complaint.
11:01 p.m. General McArthur Street area; Shots fired.

Qualifying begins Wednesday for Patterson City Council, School Board races

Tue, 01/25/2022 - 4:28pm

Qualifying will be Wednesday through Friday for the March 26 election, which includes primaries for unexpired terms on the Patterson City Council and the St. Mary Parish School Board. Candidates for the Franklin City Council and mayor will also qualify at the Clerk of Court's Office in the parish courthouse.

The District II seat on the St. Mary School Board is up for election because of the Oct. 8 death of member Sylvia Lockett of Four Corners. Tammie Moore has been serving as an interim member.

One of the five at-large seats on the Patterson City Council will be up for election because former member Sandra K. Turner resigned July 6. She and her husband moved outside the Patterson city limits. Turner's daughter, Tina Johnson, has served as her mother's temporary replacement on the council.

Any runoffs would be April 30.

Patterson voters will also make decisions about three proposed amendments to the city charter. One would require the mayor to have a high school diploma or its equivalent. Another would allow the police chief to receive a pay raise during the same four-year term in which the City Council approves the increase. Currently, any change in the chief's salary can't take effect until after term in which the council makes the move. A salary cut would still have to wait for the end of the current term.

The third amendment would require the chief to be 21, a qualified voter in Patterson and Peace Officer Standards and Training-certified.

The deadline to register for the March 26 election is Feb. 23. Registration with the GeauxVote app continues until March 5.

Early voting will be March 12-19 excluding Sunday.