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One dead, one wounded in Franklin shootings

Wed, 01/12/2022 - 10:20am

One man is dead and another wounded after shootings overnight in Franklin, Police Chief Morris Beverly said.

The Police Department hasn't yet released the names of the victims.

According to the Police Department account:

About 10:02 p.m. Tuesday, police received several calls of shots fired in the area of Iberia Street and Cayce streets. An overturned vehicle was located in a parking lot with a 19-year-old male driver who had been shot. He was transported to a local hospital.

When officers arrived at Cayce Street, a vehicle was located that had been shot and wrecked.

Then, about 1:49 a.m. Wednesday, the Franklin Police Department received several calls of shots fired in the area of James Street. Officers located a residence that had been shot. Officer’s also located a deceased 43-year-old man inside the home.

Through investigation, it was learned that subjects shot several rounds toward the residence.

Anyone with information regarding these incidents is urged to call the Franklin Police Department Detective Division as soon as possible at 337-828-1716.

UPDATED: Figure in Capital Management case sentenced to five years

Wed, 01/12/2022 - 10:11am

Staff Report

The last in a series of theft and fraud prosecutions alleging that more than $12 million was taken from a Morgan City business came to an apparent end Tuesday.

U.S. District Judge Maurice S. Hicks Jr. sentenced Karen Duhon, 67, of Berwick to 60 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised probation. As part of the plea agreement, Duhon is required to repay nearly $3.4 million

The sentencing was Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Lafayette.

Duhon pleaded guilty in August to one count of mail fraud, one of the counts in a 2018 indictment.

According to court records, Duhon worked from 1973 to 2014 as a bookkeeper for Capital Management, in which Peter Guarisco had a controlling interest until his death in 2005. Ownership passed to his five children.

The indictment said that in January 1999, Duhon began writing checks to herself for more than her salary. She had them signed by a named signatory for Capital Management. Earlier court cases identified the signatory as James Scott Tucker.

Duhon also falsified the company’s books to conceal the fact that she wrote the checks, the indictment said.

Duhon deposited the money into accounts owned by her and her husband. In all, the checks totaled about $3.2 million.

Also, the indictment said, Tucker and Duhon sometimes helped the Guarisco heirs with their personal finances. Between November 2012 and January 2014, Duhon had access to checks on an account belonging to one of the heirs.
Duhon used the account to pay $127,920 on her American Express cards, the indictment said, and in December 2013, she mailed a check for about $8,700 to American Express.

That was the allegation on which the mail fraud count was based.

Duhon was originally indicted in December 2018 on one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, three counts of wire fraud, and one count of mail fraud.

Duhon’s husband, Armond Duhon, was sentenced in 2017 to 20 years in prison after his conviction in 16th Judicial District Court, a state court, on more than 200 theft counts in relation to the Capital Management fraud case.

Donnasue Peveto, Tucker’s assistant, pleaded guilty in the 16th JDC in 2015 to 123 theft counts in cases alleging more than $9 million was illegally taken from Capital Management.

Tucker died in 2014. Peveto died in 2016.

Guarisco’s heirs took Tucker’s estate to court to recover the missing money in a lawsuit that was settled in 2017.

Marwan Mohey-El-Dien has acted a spokesman for the Guarisco heirs since news of the case began appearing in 2014.

“In our opinion as the victims,” he said, “justice was delayed. Justice was served. …

“Under the normal course, with her age and health issues, it was a fair sentence.”

That sentence was higher than the federal sentencing guidelines recommended, Mohey-El-Dien said.

“The judge thought that she showed no remorse,” he said.

At sentencing, “she did apologize to the Guariscos, but it was not heartfelt,” he said.

If Duhon had helped the Guarisco heirs recover the lost money, the family would have tried to help her, he said.

“We gave Karen many opportunities to help us,” he said.

Instead, she fought a lawsuit filed by the family, which was settled in 2017, and filed a defamation suit. The family spent $2 million in legal fees, Mohey-El-Dien said.

The case against Duhon was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney T. Forrest Phillips.

Get It Growing: Gardening resolutions for a new year

Wed, 01/12/2022 - 9:17am

By HEATHER KIRK-BALLARD, LSU AgCenter Horticulturist

With the arrival of 2022, it’s time to reflect on the past year and decide on goals for the new year. Research has shown that new beginnings and dates like New Year’s, your birthday and even Mondays are motivational when trying to tackle new goals. Consider your gardening goals this year.
This is a great time to reset. When coming up with New Year’s resolutions, many people focus on improving their overall health, eating healthier, traveling more, relaxing more or being more physically active. By increasing the amount of time you spend gardening this year, you can accomplish all of these goals.
To begin with, many of us think about losing weight, or at least eating healthier, this time of year. Most people tend to increase the amount of time they spend exercising in addition to increasing the amount of healthful foods they eat. One way to meet both of these goals is by gardening.
Fruits, nuts and vegetables are all excellent choices for a nutritious diet. All are full of immune-boosting vitamins, minerals and other plant compounds such as antioxidants and anthocyanins. And they contain fewer calories than foods that are filled with fats and oils. Nuts provide healthy fats such as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids.
Consider planting a vegetable garden or a fruit tree or shrub, or you can try your hand at a nut tree. Some great options for Louisiana can be found on the LSU AgCenter website under the “Fruits, Nuts and Vegetables” tab.
As far as fruit trees that can be grown in Louisiana, your best options are low-chill varieties of apples, peaches, pears and plums. Blueberries, especially native rabbiteye varieties, can be very successful in Louisiana, and so can blackberries and muscadines.
Tropical fruits such as satsumas, lemons, limes, navel oranges and kumquats can be grown in Louisiana. If you protect the plants from freezes, you can even grow pineapples in Louisiana.
Pecans are the go-to nut tree for Louisiana. You also can try black walnut and hickory trees, which are native to Louisiana.
Figs are another important fruit that has been very successful in Louisiana, with several varieties being developed by the LSU AgCenter, including Celeste, LSU Gold, LSU Purple, Champagne, Tiger and O’Rourke. Brown Turkey, Alma and Kadota also perform well in Louisiana. Loquats and pawpaws are two additional fruit trees easily grown in Louisiana.
When it comes to vegetables, the sky is the limit. We are very fortunate here in Louisiana to be able to grow vegetable crops year-round with a large assortment of both cool-season and warm- season varieties.
If engaging more in exercise and increasing your physical fitness is your goal, the garden is a great place to get in a good workout. Gardening activities are well suited to meet recommendations for daily physical activity. Gardening tasks such as digging, fertilizing, weeding, raking and tying plants to stakes use both upper and lower body strength, offering moderate-intensity physical activity comparable to brisk walking, swimming, dancing and biking.
Many gardening tasks are done while standing or squatting, such as pruning, mixing soil, planting seedlings, sowing, watering and harvesting. These are low-intensity physical activities, as are filling containers with soil and washing harvested produce.
If you are looking to reduce stress or improve your mental wellbeing, the garden is the perfect place. Many gardeners report having less stress and other therapeutic benefits when they tend to plants. Gardening can allow time for reflection and emotional processing.
Mental benefits include a sense of purpose, relaxation and forgetting worries as you garden, in addition to increasing your ability to respond and rebound after difficulties, such as stress or illness.
If you are looking to increase the amount of time spent traveling, why not plan some trips to arboretums, botanical and public gardens and national parks? There also are many great educational conferences open to the public.
The Gulf State Horticulture Expo is held every year in Mobile, Alabama. Additionally, there are many field days and horticultural educational events offered by the LSU AgCenter. Check our website for the events calendar.
Lastly, there is no shortage of gardening books. There are many publications from the AgCenter for Louisiana-specific gardening information.
Research has shown that reading books in general can help improve brain function by strengthening connections in your brain, reducing stress and age-related cognitive decline, and helping improve memory and focus.
Gardening can be your one-stop shop for meeting your New Year’s resolutions this year.
Get out there and get it growing!

Man's anger boils over in everyday exchanges

Wed, 01/12/2022 - 9:14am

By Jeanne Phillips, ©United Features Syndicate

DEAR ABBY: I am becoming more and more irritated with people. My fuse is short and I’m prone to bursts of anger. Today I watched another driver run a red light, and I proceeded to honk my horn, lower my window and give the guy my middle finger. (Yeah, I know it was risky, but I couldn’t resist the impulse.)
I am sick of people! They are, in my opinion, self-centered, inconsiderate jerks who need to be smacked. Stupid questions also set me off. I have been snapping at my wife and kids, which is not something I intend.
What can I do to get a grip on my temper and not act out the way I have been doing? Is something wrong with me?
REALLY A NICE GUY IN MICHIGAN

DEAR NICE GUY: The “Season to be Jolly” has always been stressful, as is its aftermath, when it’s time to pay the bills. This last holiday season has been more stressful than most for any number of reasons.
Anger is a normal emotion. Everyone experiences it from time to time. But lowering one’s car window, playing the horn like a musical instrument and giving other drivers the finger is not only unwise, but dangerous. These days it could get you killed. For the record, a bad mood is not a valid excuse for taking it out on someone you think has asked a stupid question. If a query is sincere, no question is “stupid.”
Your loss of self-control — if recent — could be related to frustration or misdirected anger at something out of your control. Does experiencing these feelings mean there is something “wrong” with you? Not necessarily, as long as you find ways to manage your emotions before exploding. We are all human. We all make mistakes.
My booklet, “The Anger in All of Us and How to Deal With It,” offers suggestions for directing angry feelings in a healthy way. It contains suggestions for managing and constructively channeling anger in various situations. It can be ordered by sending your name and address, plus a check or money order for $8 to Dear Abby Anger Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447.
It takes self-control and maturity to react calmly instead of striking out in anger. Recognizing what is causing these negative emotions can go a long way to help you avoid taking them out on others. I sometimes wonder whether anger management should be added to school curriculums to help the next generation learn to communicate in a healthy manner, rather than simply reacting.

DEAR ABBY: My dear friend “Francine” loves male attention and flirts with men, married or unmarried, at parties and on other occasions. I don’t think flirting with married men is proper because it sends the wrong message. I also don’t think their wives appreciate her behavior. Am I off base?
I would appreciate your input.
OLD-FASHIONED IN ARIZONA

DEAR OLD-FASHIONED: Your dear friend may do this not because she’s trying to break up a marriage, but because she needs validation and wants to reassure herself that she is attractive. If the wives find her behavior a threat, they can tell her that themselves, or exclude her from their gatherings.
P.S. Is it “proper”? No. Does it happen? Quite often.

St. Mary deputies make arrest in sexual assault case

Tue, 01/11/2022 - 1:48pm

Staff Report

(Editor’s note: The charges listed here and the narratives that go with them are provided by the police agencies that made the arrests. Guilt or innocence has not been determined in court.)

St. Mary deputies arrested a Metairie 19-year-old Monday in a sexual assault investigation.

St. Mary
Sheriff Blaise Smith advised that over the last 24-hour reporting period, the Sheriff’s Office responded to 36 complaints and made these arrests:
—Darvin O. Perdo-Mochavez, 19, Metairie, was arrested at 12:55 p.m. Monday on a warrant alleging carnal knowledge of a juvenile and rape (first-degree). Bail has not been set.
—Hubert Terrell Lovett, 58, Patterson, was arrested at 7:42 p.m. Monday on two warrants alleging failure to appear on charges of hit-and-run driving, careless operation of a motor vehicle, operating a vehicle without proof of insurance, and operating a vehicle while license is suspended, revoked or canceled.
Bail has not been set.
—Debra Lynn Budd, 59, Morgan City, was arrested at 10:11 p.m. Monday on a warrant alleging failure to appear on the charge of issuing worthless checks.
Bail has not been set.
—Samantha Marie Corbin, 29, Houma, was arrested at 6:22 a.m. Monday on two warrants for failure to appear on charges of methamphetamine, improper turn signal and driving under suspension.
Bail has been set at $6,000.
—Nicole Fisher, 50, Morgan City, was arrested at 1:10 p.m. Monday by the Narcotics Section on three warrants alleging possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana, possession of a legend drug without prescription and theft (less than $1,000).
Bail has not been set.

Morgan City
Police Chief James F. Blair reported that over the last 24-hour period, the Morgan City Police Department responded to 45 calls for service and made these arrests:
—Amanda T. Crouch, 41, La. 182, Morgan City, was arrested at 10:11 a.m. Friday on a charge of criminal trespass..
—Charles R. Mitchell, 40, Jimmy’s Court, Gibson, was arrested at 10:18 am. Friday on a charge of criminal trespass.
—Bryson L. Pitre, 21, La. 182, Morgan City, was arrested at 8:33 p.m. Friday on charges of headlights required, no driver’s license, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
—Sylvester L. Francois Jr., 24, Taft Street, Patterson, was arrested at 8:12 a.m. Monday on a 6th Ward Morgan City Court warrant alleging probation violation.
—Dwight Naquin, 23, American Boulevard, Houma, was arrested 9:58 a.m. Monday on a charge of domestic abuse battery.
—Leanna M. Steele, 34, Shannon Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 7:10 p.m. Monday on a 6th Ward Morgan City Court warrant alleging contempt of court.

Morgan City police radio logs for Jan. 9-10

Tue, 01/11/2022 - 1:00pm

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.
Sunday, Jan. 9
7:29 a.m. Cedar Street; Complaint/pole.
7:38 a.m. 500 block of Roderick Street; Medical emergency.
7:46 a.m. 7200 block of La. 182; Theft.
9:01 a.m. 900 block of Railroad Avenue; Tres-passing.
10:43 a.m. Terrebonne Street and Federal Avenue area; Traffic incident.
11:26 a.m. Area Grizzaffi Street; Reckless Operation.
11:28 a.m. 2000 block of Allison Street; Alarm.
11:45 a.m. 300 block of Second Street; Disturbance.
Noon 800 block of On-stead Street; Alarm.
1:06 p.m. U.S. 90 Eastbound by Martin Luther King Boulevard; Stalled vehicle.
1:58 p.m. 900 block of Kimberly Drive; Com-plaint.
2:58 p.m. 7500 block of La. 182; Complaint.
4:49 p.m. 700 block of Railroad Avenue; Animal complaint.
6:02 p.m. 7400 block of La. 182; Fight.
6:54 p.m. 500 block of Egle Street; Trespassing.
8:04 p.m. 7400 block of La. 182; Complaint.
8:45 p.m. 7200 block of La. 182; Subject removal.
8:54 p.m. 900 block of Cherry Street; Medical emergency/death.
9:01 p.m. 700 block of Federal Avenue; Medical emergency/death.
9:23 p.m. 1000 block of Sycamore Street; Theft.
10:07 p.m. 600 block of Fifth Street; Fight.
10:28 p.m. Area Fourth Street and Brashear Avenue; Wel-fare check.
Monday, Jan. 10
12:57 a.m. 800 block of Walnut Drive; Com-plaint.
1:22 a.m. 300 block of Terrebonne Street; Medical emergency.
1:29 a.m. 500 block of Seventh Street; Noise complaint.
2:01 a.m. U.S. 90 Eastbound by Martin Luther King Boulevard; Traffic stop/arrest.
3:47 a.m. 1500 block of Bernice Street; Com-plaint.
4:10 a.m. 1200 block of Victor II Boulevard; Complaint.
5:21 a.m. 1100 block of Eighth Street; Com-plaint.

MARY EVELYN FRANCIS

Tue, 01/11/2022 - 12:52pm

Mary Evelyn Francis, 85, a native of Dulac and resident of Morgan City, died Monday, Jan. 10, 2022.
She is survived by children, Kathy Dinger, Kellen Francis, Sidney Francis, Julie Dinger, Pamela Allen and David Francis; siblings, Esther Benoit, Horace Rodrigue, Edelta Solet, Florence Leeds, Albert Rodrigue and Joseph Rodrigue; 21 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren; and five great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, parents, three siblings, a grandchild and a great-grandchild.
Visitation will be at Hargrave Funeral Home Thursday, 6-9 p.m., and Friday, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Mass will be at Holy Cross Catholic Church at 1 p.m., with graveside services in Berwick Cemetery.
Hargrave Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

WILLIAM L. DAUGHERTY

Tue, 01/11/2022 - 12:50pm

William L. Daugherty, 64, of Patterson, died Dec. 14, 2021, at his residence.
Memorial visitation will be Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. with services at noon at Hargrave Funeral Home in Morgan City.
He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Sanders Daugherty of Patterson; half-sister, Renee Pierre of Lafitte; stepsister, Peggy Miller of New Orleans; and a host of other relatives.
He was preceded in death by his parents, a sister and four brothers.
Hargrave Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

SHIRLEEN PASTOR LOUVIERE

Tue, 01/11/2022 - 12:46pm

Memorial services will be held Saturday, January 15, 2022, at a 1:30 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church for Shirleen Pastor Louviere, age 85, who passed away Monday, January 3, 2022, at her residence with family in Arnaudville, Louisiana.
Interment will be in St. Charles Borromeo Cemetery in Grand Coteau. The Rev. Steve Kimmons, Pastor of Our Lady of the Oaks Retreat House, will officiate the service.
Mrs. Louviere was a resident of Grand Coteau. As a graduate of Scott High School, Shirleen’s natural creativity and passion for the literary arts earned her a scholarship to Southwestern (ULL) for theater and debate where she won a place on the senior debate team as a freshman and starred in many plays. She tried her hand at radio as a one-man show including musical performances, current events, and advertisements. At age 20, Shirleen married her high school sweetheart, Caro Louviere, also of Scott. While raising three daughters in the Morgan City area, Shirleen returned to college at NSU completing a BA in education and Master’s degree in reading, plus 30 hours toward her doctorate.
Pouring her passion and creativity into education, Shirleen began teaching fourth grade at Bayou Vista Elementary, but her talents really shined while teaching literature, drama, and debate at Morgan City High School. She was highly beloved and respected by her administration, peers, and students, receiving recognition on the parish, state, and national levels during her 34 years as an educator. She was elected to represent teachers in state legislation. After retiring, she continued to impact lives for literacy by volunteering to teach adults and children.
Shirleen had many interests in life. After her sincere faith in God and her devotion to family, she loved music and was always singing. She shared a passion for the outdoors, landscaping. and sports with her beloved Caro. They traveled the US, Canada, and Mexico together first on a motorcycle, then later with their RV group, the Bayou Kruisers. They actively supported their church affiliations and those in need, as well as proudly representing America and the Republican party.
Survivors include brother, Raymond Rutledge and his wife, Andrea Faye of Morgan City, LA; three daughters, Zoe L. Robicheaux of Arnaudville, LA, Carmen Elaine Louviere of Houston, TX, and Rebecca Louviere Ahlstrom and her husband, Leonard, of Thompsons Station, TN; seven grandchildren, Brynn Robicheaux Crady and her husband, Jeremy, Danielle Lauren Doty and her husband, Joseph, Melody Gayle Harmon, Miranda Gayle Louviere, Zane Robicheaux and his wife, Michelle, Aaron Ahlstrom, and Garrett Jacob Louviere; and ten great-grandchildren, Olive Andrea Ahlstrom, Gabrielle Marie Robicheaux, Presley Mea Crady, Aubree Reese Robicheaux, Finley Gayle Harmon, Ayla Ray Crady, Merle Alise Crady, Kingston Laine Harmon, Zachary Adam Robicheaux, and Elias Caro Harmon.
Shirleen was preceded in death by her husband of 63 years, Joseph Caro Louviere, her parents, Culver James Pastor and the former Lily Mae Vice, sister Claudette “Gig” Mouton and her husband, Clay, and granddaughter Meagan Elaine Ahlstrom.
View the obituary and guestbook online at www.melanconfuneralhome.net.
Melancon Funeral Home of Carencro, (337) 896-6366, is in charge of arrangements.

ALICE L. TAYLOR

Tue, 01/11/2022 - 12:41pm

Forever young, Alice Lauriano Taylor, resident of Morgan City, LA passed away on January 7, 2022. She was born on April 14, 1932 in Tela, Honduras to the late Levi E. and Elena G. Lauriano.
Alice is survived by a daughter, Brenda T. Gelpi (Jim), Madisonville, LA, and sons, Roberto E. Taylor (Jessica), San Antonio, TX, Dennis A. Taylor (Judy), Patterson, LA, and Dr. Edwin E. Taylor (Beckie), Pensacola, FL, six grandchildren, 3 great-grandchildren with another on the way, a brother Jorge Lauriano, Sr. of New Orleans, LA and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
She is also preceded in death by her loving husband of 60 years, Luis A. Taylor, and her sisters Emilia Castaneda, Marta Grayson, Marina Lee and Yolanda Gil.
The family will dearly feel her loss as will those friendships she cultivated while working for many years at the Tela Rail Road Co. (known as the “Chiquita” banana company) in Tela, Honduras. Adding to the friendships, and after moving to New Orleans, Alice and her husband Luis spent several years working for Reliable Industries of Harahan, LA, until retirement.
Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m., Wednesday, January 12, 2022, at Twin City Funeral Home with Father Mike Tran officiating. Visitation will be January 12, 2022, at Twin City Funeral Home from 11:00 a.m. until the time of services. After services, Alice will be laid to rest in the Morgan City Cemetery.