YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER LAROSE, LA thelafourchegazette.com
Sunday, January 6, 2019
Louisiana hopes to reduce inmates returning to prison
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Officials in Louisiana hope to reduce the number of inmates who return to prison after additional crimes by resuming a program that W was successful over a decade-long period. The Advocate reports that prison officials hope a renewed federal grant on recidivism and money saved by criminal justice reforms will allow them to build on the success from the last decade when former inmates returned to prison at decreasing rates. State officials plan to bring back a program
SERVING: MATHEWS • GHEENS • LOCKPORT • VALENTINE • LAROSE CUT OFF • GALLIANO • GOLDEN MEADOW • LEEVILLE • GRAND ISLE
Inmates to prepare meals for COA
Webre), and he was kind enough to cook the meals. They HOUMA, La. (AP) — After budget cuts have a beautiful new facility forced Terrebonne Parish Sheriff Jerry with a large kitchen that can Larpenter to end his meal service for the cook a lot of meals.” Terrebonne Council on Aging, the proLafourche inmates will gram has found a new home. begin cooking the meals Jan. 7, Y completed Edmonson said. Inmates from the newly Lafourche Parish jail will soon be cooking Lafourche sheriff’s Lt. meals for the organization, said Diana N. Brennan Matherne said inEdmonson, Terrebonne Council on Agingt mates will prepare just under executive director. 3,000 meals a day at the new V the Sheriff’s Office SSince March 1998, MATHEWS • GHEENS • LOCKPORT jail, which recently held its• VALENTINE • LAROSE inmate prepared meals C work program • has GALLIANO • GOLDEN MEADOW • LEEVILLE • GRAND ISLE grand opening. About 800-900 for the Council on Aging. Trusties did the meals will go toward TerreSubmitted Photo cooking for the council in their jail bonne and 460-470 will be for kitchen, located on the third floor of the the Lafourche Council on Meals will be prepared in the new kitchen at the newly opened Lafourche Parish Correctional Facility in ThiboTerrebonne Parish Courthouse. Aging. However, Larpenter eliminated the About 567 meals will be daux. service after his proposed 0.5 percent cooked for the Head Start provate, non-profit group that has a coopersales tax increase failed in November. gram and 900-1,050 will go to the inmates ative endeavor agreement to provide serv“When I realized there was no way we themselves, Matherne said. ices and facilities to those 60 years and could continue the program in TerreThe Council on Aging is largely sup- older in the parish using that tax money. bonne, I knew we would have to find an ported through a 7.5-mill property tax apIt also receives some state and federal alternative place for the meals,” Edmon- proved by Terrebonne Parish voters, money. son said. “I called (Lafourche Sheriff Craig Edmonson said. The organization is a priSee Meals Page 3-A By DAN COPP, The Houma Courier
Fertitta announces his candidacy for Lafourche Parish President
See Inmates Page 3-A
MEETINGS MONDAY, JAN. 7
S.L. LEVEE DISTRICT 3:00 p.m. 17904 Hwy. 3235 Galliano
PORT COMMISSION Committee Meetings 6:00 p.m. 16829 E. Main - Galliano TOWN OF GOLDEN MEADOW 7:00 p.m. 107 Jervis Dr. - G.M.
TUESDAY, JAN. 8
LAF. PARISH COUNCIL 5:00 p.m. 4876 Hwy. 1 - Mathews LAFOURCHE LODGE 7:30 p.m. 6542 W. Main - Cut Off
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 9
AMERICAN LEGION POST #315 7:00 p.m. 210 Legion Ave.- Galliano PORT COMMISSION Board Meetings 10:30 a.m. 16829 E. Main - Galliano
ANIMAL SHELTER ADVISORY BOARD 6:00 p.m. NSU Picciola Hall 901 E. 1st St. - Thibodaux
LAFOURCHE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD 7:00 p.m. 805 E. 7th St. - Thibodaux FIRE DISTRICT #9 6:30 p.m. Gheens Community Ctr. 1783 Hwy. 654 - Gheens
INSIDE
Arrests........................5-A Calendar of Events....2-A
Classifieds.................4-A Horoscopes................5-A Lottery........................2-A
News In Brief..............3-A Obituaries...................4-A
Worship Directory.......6-A
7114 Hwy. 1 - Lockport 13086 Hwy. 3235 - Larose 2113 S. Alex Plaisance Blvd. - G.M.
Prices Good Thru Tues., Jan. 8
www.FranksSupermarket.com
VOLUME 30 NUMBER 19
Golden Meadow Police asking for help in locating stolen “Welcome” sign
Golden Meadow Chief of Police Reggie Pitre announced a reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest of the person or persons wanted for stealing a welcome sign for the Town of Golden Meadow. At 11:05 a.m. on December 27, 2018, a Golden Meadow Police officer observed the sign was missing. The sign was located on the north end of the town limit in the median on LA Highway 3235. The officer observed eight screws on the ground which had been removed
from where the sign was secured to the posts. It is unknown exactly when the sign was stolen. Anyone with any information on this case is asked to submit a tip anonymously through Crime Stoppers Bayou Region by phone at 1-800-743-7433 or online at www.crimestoppersbr.org. Tips can also be submitted using the P3 Tips app on your mobile device. Tipsters could be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000 in cash if the information leads to an arrest.
I, Joseph “Joe” Fertitta, am announcing my candidacy for Lafourche Parish President. A native of Joe Fertitta Golden Meadow and a resident of Thibodaux, I graduated from South Lafourche High School and attended Louisiana State University and Nicholls State where I majored in agriculture. I have served in parish government for 12 years as the District 4 Lafourche Parish Councilman. I was also a member of the Civil Service and Home Rule Charter Commissions, Council Chair, and Library Liaison. I am a member of the Fraternal Order of Police, Thibodaux Chamber of Commerce, Friends of the Library, and Knights of Columbus Council 8906. In the past years our parish has faced many struggles. Declining revenues, the closing of busiSee Fertitta Page 3-A
A look back at Lafourche’s top 10 stories of 2018 The relative stability comes after the local oil-based economy lost 16,000 jobs — nearly one of every five — since mid2014 as low crude prices sparked layoffs and work slowdowns. Scott predicts the area will add 700 jobs this year and another 2,100 jobs in 2020, driven largely by oilfield gains. But that will hinge on whether oil prices rise to around $80 a barrel after posting their biggest yearly drop since 2015. U.S. benchmark crude closed at $45.41 a barrel Monday, down 25 percent for the year. 2. NEW JAIL OPENS Officials cut the ribbon on Lafourche’s new jail Dec. 19, replacing a facility long described as antiquated. The $40 million complex, near the old jail on La. 3185,
By Julia Arenstam and Dan Copp Daily Comet, Houma Today Staff Writers
Here is a rundown of Lafourche’s top 10 stories of 2018. 1. OIL BUST HITS BOTTOM A report from a wellknown Louisiana economist summarizes the state of Houma-Thibodaux’s economy since an offshore oil bust began four years ago. “After much bloodletting, the corner appears to have been turned,” Loren Scott’s annual forecast, released in September, says. “The numbers obviously do not show great growth, but at least they are up.” The area lost 100 jobs in 2018 through November, preliminary state figures show.
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took two years to build, paid for by a 0.2 percent sales tax parish voters approved in 2014. Inmates will move into the 118,095-square-foot facility in about three weeks, authorities said. Built in 1976, the current jail holds about 245 inmates. Lack of space forced the Sheriff’s Office to send inmates to other parishes at higher cost. The new jail will house more than 500 inmates, with room to grow, and will focus on rehabilitation, officials said. 3. KILLER SENTENCED TO DEATH David Brown of Houma, convicted of killing a Lockport woman and her two children six years ago, became the first person in 40 years sentenced to death for a crime committed in Lafourche.
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District Judge John LeBlanc issued the sentence June 22. 4. STUDENT DEATH THREATS Two Thibodaux High students were arrested in February after being accused of threatening to shoot and kill other students, authorities said. Mason Dupre, 17, of Thibodaux, is charged with terrorizing. The other student, Keith Usea, 17, of Chackbay, was charged with terrorizing and simple assault. See Stories Page 3-A
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