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Mark Anthony “Chickenman” Hartman, 64, a native and resident of Patterson, La., passed away peacefully on Friday December 3, 2021 at Tulane Medical Center.
Visitation will be observed on Friday December 10, 2021 at the Good Hope Baptist Church in Patterson, La., from 12 Noon until funeral services beginning at 2 p.m. with Pastor Patrick T. Jones, officiating. Military honors will be conducted at the beginning of the services. Burial will follow funeral services in the New Salem Cemetery - Home Industrial Side in Patterson, La.
Mark Anthony was a veteran of the United States Army, receiving an Honorable Discharge. East St. Mary Funeral Squad and Fort Polk honors at church.
Mark Anthony, or “Chickenman,” as he was known to many, leaves to cherish his memory: his wife, Jana Nicole Jones-Hartman of Patterson, La.; son, Mark A. Hilliard of Patterson, La.; daughters, Tassel (Dennis) Loving of Dallas, TX, Aneisha (Kendall) Frank and Shawniece Carmouche; sister, Janet P. Hartman of Patterson, La.; two aunts, Gladys Ahmad of Las Vegas, NV and Flora M. Hartman of Morgan City, La.; a devoted cousin, William Wilson of Fresno, TX; six grandchildren, life-long friends, Johnny Dugas, Calvin Veal, and Lester Chapman, and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Mark was preceded in death by his parents, Richard L. Hartman Sr. and Annie E. Hartman; four brothers, Richard L. Hartman, Jr., Raymond L. Hartman, Leslie R. Hartman, and Aaron L. Hartman; two sisters, Sharon B. Hartman and Karen Hartman; his paternal grandparents, Albert Hartman and Jane Lockett Hartman and his maternal grandmother, Pearl Ward Williams.
Arrangements entrusted to Jones Funeral Home of Morgan City-Franklin-Jeanerette and Houma. Visit www.jones-funeral-home.com to send conedolences to family.

DEAR ABBY: I have been with my husband for 41 years, married for 30, but we lived together for five years before we tied the knot. I have just learned he has a son who is two months younger than our son. The mother is a woman he slept with while I was pregnant with our first child. She put the baby up for adoption, and the young man has just reached out to my daughter. My husband claims he didn’t find out about the child until after he was relinquished, and he didn’t believe the woman ever really gave birth.
I am devastated. I feel like my entire marriage to him has been a lie. He says after we were married 31 years ago, he never cheated on me, and I should move past it. What do you think I should do?
UNABLE TO LET IT GO

DEAR UNABLE: You have my sympathy. I agree with your husband that you need to move past this, but that doesn’t mean you should forget it. Solid marriages are based on trust, and yours has understandably been shattered.
If his behavior since your wedding has been as exemplary as he claims, you should be able to review his financial records and see where the marital assets have been going. He should also be willing to discuss this in the office of a licensed marriage and family therapist. If he is unwilling to do this, it is another red flag, and you should consider consulting a lawyer.

DEAR ABBY: I’ve been Christian all my life. When I married my husband 22 years ago, he was too. We raised our kids in the same faith. Well, he has recently decided he will no longer practice Christianity. I never would have married someone outside my faith. How do I continue in this marriage?
FAITHFUL IN OREGON

DEAR FAITHFUL: I am sure this has been upsetting for you, and you have my sympathy. I would hope that your husband’s recent change of mind is something you have discussed with him, because he may have his reasons for it.
Because of your own deep religious beliefs, this may be something to discuss with your religious adviser. Some couples in these circumstances adopt a “live and let live” attitude, which means you follow your Christian path and allow your husband to follow his.

DEAR ABBY: My sister-in-law emailed me Christmas lists for my niece and nephew. Abby, I didn’t ask for them, nor did I request gift ideas for her children. In fact, I haven’t seen my sister-in-law in more than six months.
Of course I will be giving gifts to both my nephew and niece, but I think it was awfully presumptuous of her to just send a link via email.
How can I respond to this in the future? Should I just let it go? Am I wrong in thinking that it was poor etiquette on her part?
DUMBFOUNDED IN FLORIDA

DEAR DUMBFOUNDED: Your sister-in-law may have been trying to be helpful, but I agree that what she did was presumptuous.
Handle it by sending gifts of your own choosing to your niece and nephew. If you receive any more links of that nature in the future, do the same thing.
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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.

The Louisiana House Health and Welfare Committee has rejected a Louisiana Department of Health rule that would have added approved COVID-19 vaccines to the list of required immunizations for children to attend K-12 schools.

The committee’s bipartisan 13-2 vote sets up a potential showdown with Gov. John Bel Edwards, who has said he will override the Louisiana Legislature if necessary.

Monday's hearing coincided with a regulatory rule process that began in September and managed to avoid any previous public hearing or public comments during the required comment period. Critics have alleged the proposed rule has been designed to avoid backlash.

Monday’s marathon meeting was an opportunity for state lawmakers in the GOP-controlled Legislature to express concerns as well as confront State Health Officer Joseph Kanter, who appeared with the Department of Health’s top lawyer and a department epidemiologist.

Nearly two dozen legislators testified before the committee, along with House Speaker Clay Schexnayder, R-Gonzales; Attorney General Jeff Landry; vaccine skeptic Robert Kennedy Jr.; and an estimated 200 parents and state residents who submitted public comment requests – the vast majority of whom spoke in opposition to the school vaccine mandate.

Schexnayder opened the eight-hour hearing by saying the proposal was “a line in the sand.”

“I am not an anti-vaccine person,” he said. “I never imagined that before COVID I would have to come and take a stand against the administration on mandating a shot for school-age students against the will of their parents.”

Landry asserted the Edwards administration effort, which would have the force of law, violates the Health Department’s legislatively-delegated authority.

Landry said the department only can require vaccines that “prevent” disease and COVID-19 vaccinations do not stop fully vaccinated individuals from getting infected or transmitting the virus.

“I’m asking you to take back the police powers of this state,” Landry said. “We cannot allow the executive branch to bypass the constitutional responsibilities of this Legislature by allowing them to create policy in law using executive fiat. That is absolutely the job you are charged with doing.”

Robert Kennedy Jr., chairman of the Children’s Health Defense nonprofit and son of late U.S. Attorney General Robert Kennedy, gave a presentation warning of adverse COVID-19 vaccination effects.

Kennedy accused vaccine-maker Pfizer of skewing data during shortened clinical trials and said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration rushed to approve an “experimental product.” Kanter later called the presentation “gross misinformation.”

Kanter thanked the Health Department’s roughly 7,000 employees and affiliated health officials during his opening statement and objected to calling the proposed vaccine rule a “mandate.”

Citing broad opt-out provisions, Kanter said, “This rule change is a priority for the Department of Health because we believe the loss of life endured throughout the 21 months of this pandemic, and particularly the loss of young life, has simply been untenable.”

“Vaccines are our single greatest tool to fight back against COVID-19’s profound toll,” he said.

The rule would apply to 16- and 17-year-olds but would extend to students as young as age 5 pending FDA approval. Rep. Julie Emerson, R-Carencro, said the way the rule is written, the Legislature would not have an opportunity to weigh-in at that time.

Rep. Laurie Schlegel, R-Metairie, said that as former pharmaceutical company employee, she was “far from an anti-vaxxer,” but the issue centered on “parental rights.”

Rep. Kathy Edmonston, R-Gonzales, said Louisiana would join California as the only states mandating COVID-19 vaccines for K-12 in-person learning if the rule was finalized.

“I have had numerous conversations, phone calls, social media responses, emails and a survey in my district. I have not had one person tell me that the COVID shot should be added to the schedule,” Edmonston said.

Rep. Dustin Miller, D-Opelousas, thanked Kanter and the Health Department officials in attendance for their “courage and compassion” during the pandemic.

Miller asked Stephen Russo, the department’s top lawyer, whether Edwards and Kanter could have simply exercised their public health emergency powers to require COVID-19 vaccines in schools instead of implementing it through the Administrative Procedures Act.

“Yes, sir, I believe we could have,” Russo said.

Rep. Kenny Cox, D-Natchitoches, asked how many children had died since the pandemic. A department epidemiologist said 125,000 children had tested positive and 18 had died, of which 14 had comorbidities.

An Eros. Louisiana, truck driver was cited Monday after his 18-wheeler made the third strike of the clearance beam on the Berwick side of the La. 182 bridge in four days.
Ervin Henning, 48, was cited for careless operation of a motor vehicle, hit-and-run driving and driving under suspension, the Berwick Police Department said.
According to the department, at about 9:50 a.m. Monday officers received a call about an 18-wheeler striking the clearance beam. Officers couldn't locate the truck, which crossed the bridge headed east.
About an hour later, police began received reports that the truck was spotted at a business on Duke Street in Morgan City.
Officers determined that Henning was aware that he struck the beam but continued to travel even though the truck was damaged, the Berwick department said.
The bridge remained open and did not appear to be a threat to the public, Berwick police said.
The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development was called in for a precautionary inspection.
The Berwick Police Department thanked the public for information leading to the location of the truck.
On Friday, the beam was struck twice by vehicles, leading to the closure of the La. 182 bridge pending a DOTD inspection, which was completed around 4 p.m. The alternate route, the U.S. 90 bridge, is restricted to one lane in either direction, leading to traffic tie-ups and long waits to cross the Atchafalaya.