Terrebonne Parish President Gordy Dove gave the Terrebonne Parish Council an update tonight on a barrier island restoration project and two pump stations among other projects.
The $115 million Whiskey Island restoration project includes dredging 10.4 million cubic yards of sand from Ship Shoal and pumping it to the island before adding vegetation to restore five miles of shoreline and 900 acres of beach and marsh. The Whiskey Island project was supposed to start at the end of 2015 but was delayed by the state for wildlife reasons, Dove said.
"Because of the hatchery of the eggs of different species of birds, the environmentalists had the state push it off and it was delayed for six to seven months. I'm a firm believer the birds would've found somewhere else to lay their eggs for seven months, but it's important that we preserve our wildlife while we rebuild these islands," he said.
Backers of putting rock on barrier islands point to Raccoon Island as proof that placing segmented breakwaters not only protects the sand being pumped onto them but also builds land as sediment is caught behind the breakwaters.
"The building up of the beach on Raccoon Island is tremendous, and on top of that it's sustained. If we're going to rebuild these islands, this is the method that we need to use," Dove said, "It was successful in Grand Isle and it was successful here. ... If you don't protect it, you'll be repumping these islands in 12 to 14 years, but you won't have the BP money."
Engineering is also underway for two drainage projects.
In Petit Caillou and the Chachoula area, extensive work has been done to build levees to protect the areas from flooding from hurricanes and high water events on the rivers and the Gulf. But the drainage projects are meant to be able to pump water out of the levee system in the event of heavy rains or other such events.
The Petit Caillou project will add additional pumps, a conveyance channel and additional sector gate for the lock system as has been done on Bayou Lafourche to pump water from inside the Ward 7 Levee system into Lake Boudreaux.
The Chacahoula project will add a pumping station at the Elliot Jones Canal for the same purpose.
Engineer O'Neil Malbrough said the Little Caillou pump station would drain some 510 acres in the Chauvin area. In comparison, the project in the Chachoula area would drain 110,000 acres.
"The difference between Little Caillou with 510 acres and one pump station and Chacahoula is that it’s 110,000 acres. The boundaries of the area is significant. The water that has to get out of Bayou Black and out of people’s homes is 110,000 acres," he said.
The drainage project in Chacahoula would work hand-in-hand with the Morganza-to-the-Gulf levees in that area to keep water out of the western portion of the parish and drain water from not only Terrebonne but portions of Lafourche and Assumption parishes, Malbrough said.
The parish plans to apply for state money to get both projects completed.

Terrebonne Parish president outlines coastal projects


Terrebonne Parish President Gordy Dove gave the Terrebonne Parish Council an update tonight on a barrier island restoration project and two pump stations among other projects.


Terrebonne Special Olympics is looking for athletes, specifically in swimming and horseshoes, to join its organization this year.
Currently the group has 120 athletes, with 25 headed to the Fall Classic Games in Lafayette Oct. 14-16.
"Special Olympics is for someone with an intellectual disability," said Jennifer Callais, Terrebonne Special Olympics director. "A lot of people just think it's for the really severe. It's more than that. If kids have been offered an Individualized Education Program through their school system, they could qualify."
Special Olympics Louisiana started in 1968 when 15 athletes from the Belle Chasse State School attended and competed in the first International Special Olympics games in Chicago.
It came to Terrebonne Parish in 1995.
In Louisiana, more than 13,500 children and adults with intellectual disabilities participate in more than 100 local competitions in the 13 south Louisiana areas and state-level competitions.
According to the Terrebonne Parish government's website, athletes must be identified by an agency or professional as having one of the following conditions: intellectual disability, cognitive delay as determined by standardized measures such as intelligence quotient or other generally accepted measures or functional limitations in both general learning and adaptive skills.
To join, athletes must be at least 8 years old. There's also a program for young athletes from 2- to 7-years-old.
Special Olympics athletes compete in various sports such as basketball, softball, aquatics, horseshoes, tee-ball, flag football, bowling, golf, tennis, bocce, soccer, volleyball, track and field, and power lifting.
"It's very important (to have this organization) because it gives these kids a chance to play sports and have opportunities to do things that other people don't give them the opportunity to do. They have their own practices and competitions that are arranged just for them," Callais said.
The Terrebonne chapter does activities year round. Right now, athletes are practicing softball, tee-ball, horseshoes and aquatics for the State Fall Classic.
There's no cost for potential athletes to sign up. For information, contact Callais at 226-4031 or cjatj2@yahoo.com.

Terrebonne Special Olympics looking for new talent


Terrebonne Special Olympics is looking for athletes, specifically in swimming and horseshoes, to join its organization this year.


A storm system that was predicted to enter the Gulf of Mexico Monday was upgraded to Tropical Depression 9 tonight, but it is forecast to impact the eastern Gulf.
“Right now, Louisiana and coastal Mississippi do not appear to be directly threatened by the system, but we will still need to watch it closely in case something changes,” WWL-TV reported tonight.
“For now, possible local impacts this week will include rough seas off the coast and tides running a little higher than normal, possibly leading to some minor coastal flooding,” WWL said.
The National Hurricane Center forecast predicts the system, previously known as Invest 99, will strengthen today to a tropical storm that would veer to the northeast midweek toward the Florida Big Bend area due to an upper trough and cold front on the East Coast.
"Latest indications point toward the system making landfall along the northeastern Gulf Coast between Alabama and the northwestern Florida Peninsula later this week," said Kristina Pydynowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist.
The center of this system was about 60 miles south of Key West, Florida, tonight. It was moving west at 9 mph with 35 mph winds, the Hurricane Center reported.
“Disruptive winds in the atmosphere, interaction with the mountainous Caribbean Islands and dry air prevented the tropical system from organizing last week, but more favorable conditions allowed the system to become a tropical depression on Sunday afternoon,” Pydynowski said.
Should the system intensify into a tropical storm prior to landfall, it would be accompanied onshore by a greater risk of flooding, strong winds and a storm surge.
The farther west into the central Gulf the system tracks, the greater the potential for strengthening, forecasters said. Louisiana residents were advised to keep an eye on the system in case that happens.
The next tropical storms in the Atlantic Basin will be named Hermine and then Ian.
Elsewhere, Hurricane Gaston is a Category 3 storm in the north central Atlantic Ocean. It is forecast to stay east of Bermuda and not threaten any land area as it gradually weakens.
Tropical Depression 8, southeast of Bermuda, is expected to move toward the Carolinas before veering off to the northeast.
Another tropical wave is coming off the African coast this week and will head west across the Atlantic as the official peak of the hurricane season approaches on Sept. 10, forecasters said.

Storm becomes tropical depression before entering Gulf


A storm system that was predicted to enter the Gulf of Mexico Monday was upgraded to Tropical Depression 9 tonight, but it is forecast to impact the eastern Gulf.


The $4.5 million Westside Boulevard extension is set to be complete in October, giving motorists a way to get from St. Louis Canal Road to La. 311 on a single road.
The extension runs from Martin Luther King Boulevard, Houma's busy retail strip, to La. 311. It includes Terrebonne Parish's first roundabout, a circular intersection designed to ease traffic, located where the new road meets the Equity Bridge near La. 311.
The four-lane roadway itself is complete; bicycle paths along it are still being added.
"This is going to be a great vehicle access to alleviate the traffic on Martin Luther King," Parish President President Gordy Dove said. "They started over a year ago, and it's progressed fine. The contractor has done a wonderful job, and that's moving ahead."
Parish and state transportation officials say Westside Boulevard's extensions should help alleviate congestion by giving drivers a direct north-south route through Houma.
The state Transportation Department will install a stop light at Westside and Martin Luther King boulevards after construction is complete.
Westside Boulevard has seen major upgrades in recent years. In the summer 2008, a $3.5 million extension connected it with St. Louis Canal Road. In 2011, a $3.9 million four-lane extension brought Westside from Main Street to Martin Luther King. At the beginning of the year, parish officials cut the ribbon on a new four-lane Westside Boulevard Bridge to accommodate the four-lane extension.

Westside extension in Houma nears completion


The $4.5 million Westside Boulevard extension is set to be complete in October, giving motorists a way to get from St. Louis Canal Road to La. 311 on a single road.


Sought by Authorities is a public service of The Courier and Daily Comet. Readers who have seen this suspect are urged to call the authorities and not take action on their own.
NAME: Oley Autin Jr.BIRTHDATE: Aug. 21, 1964.CHARGE: Failure to appear in court for sexual battery charge.AGENCY: Terrebonne Parish Sheriff's Office.LAST KNOWN ADDRESS: 101 Price St., Montegut.STILL AT LARGE: Kenneth Fitch Jr., Chance Franklin, Jeremy Gibson, Ashleigh Harding, Terry Jones, Jamie Mickey, Carwin Scott, Karen Smith, Leonard Swiderski, Ajonte Howard.Sought by Authorities is a public service of The Courier and Daily Comet. Readers who have seen this suspect are urged to call the authorities and not take action on their own.


A federal lawsuit alleging the Houma-Terrebonne Housing Authority's executive director retaliated against an employee who accused him of sexual harassment has been settled.
Tyrikia Porter filed the lawsuit in September 2013 in U.S. District Court in New Orleans against the Housing Authority. She claimed Wayne Thibodeaux sexually harassed her from when he was hired in April 2006 until she left the job in September 2012, including by commenting on her appearance and clothing in front of other employees.
On Aug. 1, U.S. Magistrate Judge Daniel Knowles III dismissed the case, saying attorneys advised him that "all of the parties to this action have firmly agreed upon a settlement and compromise, and that they need only execute releases and deliver funds in accordance with their agreement."
Ravi Sangisetty, a New Orleans attorney representing Porter, said he could not comment on the case.
Thibodeaux said the settlement was for $29,000, but that amount was not recorded in court documents. He said he was against a settlement.
"These people colluded to ruin my reputation, my good name, and cause me financial harm by hoping the Board would fire me," he wrote in an email. "They succeeded at nothing!"
According to Porter's complaint, Thibodeaux pressured her to go on overnight training trips with him and once left a voice message for her, saying "I like your sexy voice." She said he asked about her dating life in a one-on-one work meeting and stood in front of the door to keep her from leaving the office.
Porter said at one point, Thibodeaux told her "she must have been thinking of him as she got dressed."
In July 2012, Porter testified against Thibodeaux at a grievance hearing. She claimed she was fired in September 2012 in retaliation.
Porter filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission March 25, 2013, and the EEOC issued her a right to sue letter July 29, 2013.
New Orleans attorney Edward Trapolin, representing the Housing Authority, said in court documents that "the evidence of alleged harassment does not rise to the level required by the law to maintain a hostile work environment claim."
He also wrote that because Porter resigned voluntarily without coercion, she could not prove her retaliation claim.
"Other than a few sporadic incidents that were arguably inappropriate, Plaintiff's allegations of sexual harassment by Mr. Thibodeaux appear to be innocuous interactions that would occur in a friendly business relationship among co-workers or bosses and subordinates," Trapolin wrote.
In June 2012, Porter submitted her resignation effective Aug. 1, 2012. The next month, she asked for her resignation to be extended to Sept. 1, 2012, so she could finish projects and train staff, and her request was granted.
Porter asked to rescind her resignation Sept. 4, 2012, but Thibodeaux refused that request, saying her last day would be Sept. 12, 2012.
Trapolin asked for the lawsuit to be dismissed in July 2014. Knowles granted that request the next month and issued a judgment against Porter.
In a Nov. 17 filing, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the U.S. district court's ruling regarding the retaliation claim, saying "Porter has demonstrated a substantial conflict of evidence on the question of whether her employer would have taken the action 'but for' her testimony."
Trapolin could not be reached for comment.
-- Staff Writer Bridget Mire can be reached at 448-7639 or bridget.mire@dailycomet.com. Follow her on Twitter @bridget_mire.

Lawsuit against Houma housing official settled


A federal lawsuit alleging the Houma-Terrebonne Housing Authority's executive director retaliated against an employee who accused him of sexual harassment has been settled.


A Bayou Blue man originally charged with rape was sentenced Wednesday to 15 years in prison for two non-sexual offenses, one of his attorneys said.
This updated story reflects that Travis Solet's sentences are to run consecutively for a total of 15 years in prison.
Travis Solet, 37, pleaded guilty to false imprisonment while armed with a dangerous weapon and domestic abuse aggravated assault, said Thibodaux attorney Matthew Ory, who represented Solet with one of his law firm partners, David Ardoin.
State District Judge John LeBlanc of Thibodaux sentenced Solet to 10 years on the first charge and five years on the second, Ory said. That was the maximum sentence he could get on each charge.
Ory said the Lafourche Parish District Attorney's Office offered the amended charges.
"What I can say is that the judicial system worked," he said in an email. "Sometimes it takes a couple of days of trial to fully understand the facts and make sure the proper crime fits. Kudos to the State for arriving at the proper conclusion and maintaining professionalism through the process. We are satisfied with the outcome."
The Lafourche Parish Sheriff's Office charged Solet with aggravated rape April 6, 2015. He was accused of verbally abusing and threatening a woman with a handgun before sexually assaulting her.
If convicted of aggravated rape, he would have faced a mandatory life sentence without the possibility of probation, parole or suspension of sentence.
The District Attorney's Office on Friday offered Solet 25 years in prison in exchange for a guilty plea to another charge, but he refused. Ory said that sentence would also have been served without the possibility of probation, parole or suspension of sentence.
Solet's trial began Monday with jury selection, which continued Tuesday morning. Attorneys gave their opening statements and began calling witnesses to testify Tuesday afternoon.
In his opening statement, Ory pointed out inconsistencies in the victim's statements, including whether Solet was holding the gun or she saw it on the counter and how the gun ended up under the bed. The woman also first alleged a struggle and then said she agreed to have sex with Solet because she was afraid.
Ory told the jury Solet had consumed alcohol and male enhancement pills the day of the crime. He said Solet and the woman had sex, but he refuted that it was nonconsensual.
Assistant District Attorneys Diana Sanders and Heather Hendrix prosecuted the case. They could not be reached for comment.
-- Staff Writer Bridget Mire can be reached at 448-7639 or bridget.mire@dailycomet.com. Follow her on Twitter @bridget_mire.

Charges changed in rape case; guilty plea entered


A Bayou Blue man originally charged with rape was sentenced Wednesday to 15 years in prison for two non-sexual offenses, one of his attorneys said.


A settlement has been reached in a lawsuit over a 2014 crash where a Lafourche sheriff's deputy made an improper U-turn, causing an 18-wheeler carrying water to hit his patrol car and overturn.
The 18-wheeler driver, Murphy Pitre, of Raceland, filed the lawsuit July 31, 2015, in state District Court in Thibodaux against deputy Joshua Borskey, the Lafourche Parish Sheriff's Office and Sheriff Craig Webre.
According to the lawsuit and State Police report, on Aug. 6, 2014, Pitre was traveling north on La. 1, just south of Lafourche Crossing. He was driving a 2000 Kenworth 6500 truck, pulling a 1999 Beall tank trailer.
Borskey was driving south in a 2010 Ford Crown Victoria when he drove onto the right shoulder and made a U-Turn into the tanker truck's path, according to the lawsuit and State Police report. The crash occurred about 4:38 p.m.
Attorneys eventually asked state District Judge John LeBlanc to dismiss the case with prejudice, meaning the ruling would be final. Court documents say "all matters in dispute between them have been fully compromised and settled."
LeBlanc dismissed the case Aug. 16.
State Police said Borskey was found at fault in the crash but not charged. He was taken to Thibodaux Regional Medical Center with broken bones.
Although State Police said Pitre sustained minor injuries, Pitre said in a phone interview last year that he had a knee replacement after the crash and would need surgery for his other leg. He said he also sustained head, neck and back injuries.
Pitre was suing for unspecified damages, including medical expenses and lost income from his bookkeeping and notary services and Aqua Resources, his company that owned the vehicle.
Webre said Tuesday that he wasn't sure of the exact settlement amount but that such agreements allow attorneys to avoid the costs of preparing for and going to trial. They also mean the defendants don't have to worry about getting a verdict awarding the plaintiffs more than a settlement would have, he added.
"Trials should only occur in exceptional circumstances," he said. "It was a logical, practical decision. When a lawsuit is filed, it's filed because someone suffered a loss. In this case, Mr. Pitre's truck was totaled and he received injuries. When you go to court, as a plaintiff or a defendant, you are sacrificing your right to make a decision. If there's 100 cases filed in any given court, 95 of them will settle."
Pitre's Houma attorney, Hunt Downer, did not return a phone call Tuesday seeking comment. When a reporter called Pitre's home, his wife said he wouldn't want to comment.
Randall Kleinman, a New Orleans attorney for the defendants' insurance company, declined to comment. Borskey did not respond to a request for comment.
-- Staff Writer Bridget Mire can be reached at 448-7639 or bridget.mire@dailycomet.com. Follow her on Twitter @bridget_mire.

Lawsuit settled in sheriff's deputy-involved crash


A settlement has been reached in a lawsuit over a 2014 crash where a Lafourche sheriff's deputy made an improper U-turn, causing an 18-wheeler carrying water to hit his patrol car and overturn.


A federal agency will soon enforce a longstanding law that requires nations that export shrimp, fish and other seafood to the U.S. to have the same regulations to protect marine creatures from being caught inadvertently.
But local shrimpers say they expect the rule, published Wednesday by NOAA Fisheries, to have little impact on the wave of cheaper imports that for years have made it difficult for them to compete.
That's because, according to federal data, about 93 percent of the shrimp Americans consume was farmed in Asian countries, including Vietnam, China, Thailand and Indonesia.
"I'm all for imposing anything that could be helpful to us, but I sure don't see how this is going to help," said Tracey Trahan, owner of Shrimp Kingdom Seafood in Dulac.
Trahan said the way to help domestic fishermen the most would be to have the U.S. Food and Drug Administration test more imports and reject seafood grown with the help of banned and harmful antibiotics and other chemicals.
"It's not just one country; there's a lot of countries that have farm-raised shrimp, and the labor's cheap, so they sell it cheap to undercut the other countries," Trahan said. "The restaurants and the seafood markets use it because it's cheaper. ... It hurts everybody. I believe in fair trade, but too much of anything isn't good."
Lance Nacio, a Lafourche Parish native, shrimper and member of the Louisiana Shrimp Task Force, offered similar views about the new rule.
“Import shrimp is a lot of what drives global price,” Nacio said. “We're not considered a specialty anymore. We're more of a commodity.”
Under the measure, which takes effect Jan. 1, trade partners will need to show that killing or injuring marine mammals as a result of bycatch does not exceed U.S. standards. The rule is a result of a two-year legal battle by conservation groups to force the federal government to enforce import provisions of the 1972 federal Marine Mammal Protection Act.
“Fishing gear entanglements or accidental catch is a global threat to marine mammal populations,” Eileen Sobeck, assistant NOAA administrator for fisheries said in a news release. “Establishing these bycatch criteria mark a significant step forward in the global conservation of marine mammals.”
The rule outlines ways to evaluate a country’s bycatch reduction efforts and establishes procedures a country must follow to receive authorization for sending seafood products into the U.S. The rule also establishes a one-time, initial five-year exemption period to give nations time to assess their marine mammal stocks and estimate and lower their bycatch.
“NOAA carefully considered potential impacts of a fishery being unable to obtain certification under this rule, and we’re confident the seafood supply chain is adequately robust to prevent any disruption to consumer access,” said John Henderschedt, director of NOAA Fisheries' Office of International Affairs and Seafood Inspection.
On the home front, Trahan said the fall brown shrimp season, which started two weeks ago, is by far "the worst season he's seen" in his 26 years as a fisherman.
"It is the least amount of shrimp we've ever caught for a season's opening," said Trahan, who owns three boats.
John Ross, a shrimper in Dulac, said imports continue to make it difficult for U.S. fishermen to stay afloat financially.
“They start with the farm-raised shrimp and that doesn’t help us at all. We go out there and it’ll only be a $16,000 to $17,000 trip when it should be a $20,000 to $30,000 trip,” said Ross, who is 31 and has been shrimping since he was a teenager. “Way back, the price was better. As time went on, it got worse. It’s steadily getting worse. It’s not improving at all.”

Feds take aim at fish imports, but local shrimpers stand to gain little


A federal agency will soon enforce a longstanding law that requires nations that export shrimp, fish and other seafood to the U.S. to have the same regulations to protect marine creatures from being caught inadvertently.


Local officials advise residents to review their hurricane plans as a storm threatens to make its way into the Gulf of Mexico late this week or early next.
Emergency response officials are reminding residents to take time to review hurricane plans this weekend as a storm continues to brew toward southern Florida and could possibly make landfall between the panhandle and Louisiana on Tuesday or Wednesday.
Forecasts differed on whether the disorganized storm system, centered this evening about 600 miles southeast of Miami, will continue heading west into the Gulf or turn north toward Florida and the East Coast.
"Forecast models are still not agreeing with how strong it will be or where it will go," WWL-TV meteorologist Dave Nussbaum said in a blog post this afternoon. "There is a very wide spread in the models. The eastern side of the models show it could move northwest and stay east of Florida without ever making landfall. The western spread shows it could go across the Gulf of Mexico and make a landfall over South Texas or Mexico."
The National Hurricane Center gave the storm, which was heading west at 15-10 mph, a 40 percent chance of strengthening to a tropical system over the next two days and a 70 percent chance over the next five days.
Satellite wind data and reports from an Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter airplane this morning indicated that the system lacked a closed circulation, the Hurricane Center said. The strongest winds had likely decreased below tropical-storm strength of at least 39 mph, and rain and thunderstorms had become less organized over the past 24 hours.
"Although upper-level winds are not conducive for significant development during the next day or so, they could become a little more favorable over the weekend or early next week when the wave is expected to approach southern Florida or the southeastern Gulf of Mexico," the Hurricane Center said.
Forecasters said the storm's strength and direction depend largely on what happens to a high-pressure system over the East Coast. If the high weakens, the storm in the Caribbean could turn north. A stronger high could push the storm toward the Gulf.
Weather Underground meteorologists predicted that as the most likely possibility, adding that the storm could threaten Louisiana or Texas Tuesday or Wednesday.
"With the upper-level high in place, this system is then expected to be pushed into the Gulf of Mexico, with the potential for a second landfall somewhere along the Gulf Coast next week, possibly as a tropical storm or hurricane."
If it becomes a tropical storm, it would be named Hermine.
Terrebonne Emergency Preparedness Director Earl Eues said residents should have specific plans for where they will go if officials order an evacuation. Now is a good time to monitor weather reports, secure yards and homes, plan for pets and assemble basic supplies such as water, nonperishable food, flashlights and batteries.
Emergency plans in Terrebonne and Lafourche call for officials to open evacuation shelters at schools and other public buildings for weaker storms if warranted. For Category 3 or stronger hurricanes, both parishes have plans that would use buses to take evacuees who lacked other options to shelters in Monroe.
Eues said those shelters have not been impacted by the recent flooding across a wide swath of Louisiana. But residents who do leave for a storm need to consider the flooding's impact on roads and other accommodations.
“If they were planning on staying in hotels in the Baton Rouge area or the Lafayette area, you might have issues getting a room,” Eues said. “Revise your plan. ... It's a good time to review your plan if we do call a mandatory evacuation.”
South Lafourche Levee Director Windell Curole said his agency is also monitoring the storm. The district has opened and closed floodgates to manage tides on a normal schedule so far.
“It will take about 48 hours once a storm gets to the Gulf for it to get to us,” Curole said. “I'm really not changing anything that I would normally do. Monday I will re-assess.”
-- Staff Writer Emma Discher can be reached at 448-7636 or emma.discher@houmatoday.com. Follow her on Twitter @emmadischer.

Uncertain storm remains a threat to Gulf Coast


Local officials advise residents to review their hurricane plans as a storm threatens to make its way into the Gulf of Mexico late this week or early next.


A storm system in the eastern Caribbean is likely to strengthen over the next few days, though it remained uncertain whether it would enter the Gulf of Mexico, forecaster said.
"Although environmental conditions are only marginally conducive for development, this system could become a tropical depression during the next day or two while it moves west-northwest at 15 to 20 mph near the Leeward Islands and the Greater Antilles," the National Hurricane Center said in an advisory Tuesday night. "Conditions could become more conducive later this week while the system moves near the southeastern and central Bahamas."
Most computer models predicted the storm would head west across or near the tip of Florida and enter the Gulf. A few projected the storm would instead take a more northerly turn into the Atlantic off the U.S. East Coast.
From midweek on, interaction with larger islands in the northern Caribbean, such as Puerto Rico and Hispaniola, may continue to hinder development or could cap strengthening to tropical storm status for a time, Accuweather forecasters said.
If the storm reaches tropical storm strength, with sustained winds of 39 mph, it would be named Hermine.
In the Mid-Atlantic, Tropical Storm Gaston was expected to strengthen into a hurricane late this week, and Tropical Storm Fiona was fizzling Tuesday night. Neither posed an immediate threat to land.

Storm could enter Gulf late this week, forecasters say


A storm system in the eastern Caribbean is likely to strengthen over the next few days, though it remained uncertain whether it would enter the Gulf of Mexico, forecaster said.


Terrebonne Parish is continuing to look for ways to speed up its permitting process and make it easier for builders, developers and residents to navigate.
Officials are working to educate residents about the parish's online-based permitting system as well as searching for ways to eliminate redundancy in the process.
Planning and Zoning Administrator Chris Pulaski said the parish is working with the state Department of Health and Hospitals to integrate its database with Terrebonne's online permit database creating a "one-stop shop."
"Once they're fully integrated into that, you won't have to go to the Department of Health before you have to apply for a permit. You bring in whatever documentation you need to the parish permit office, and it would be included in the online permitting system," he said.
Because staff is limited at the Department of Health's Houma office, it is only open for 90 minutes in the morning and 90 minutes in the afternoon as the staff processes permits and conducts field inspections, making it difficult for people to have their paperwork handed, Pulaski said.
Officials are also looking at the parish's ordinances for places where redundant or outdated items can be eliminated, a process that has already begun with an ordinance dealing with additions to homes, such as pools and guest houses, he said.
In 2012, the parish began using an online system at tpcg.gov to allow people to apply for permits online. Residents can also still visit the permit office in the Government Tower, at Main and Gabasse streets in Houma.
Pulaski said he will meet with the local home builders association next month to go over the online permitting process.

Terrebonne works to streamline permitting


Terrebonne Parish is continuing to look for ways to speed up its permitting process and make it easier for builders, developers and residents to navigate.


A retired banker and political newcomer has formally announced his candidacy for a Lockport Town Council seat being vacated.
Republican Stephen J. Baudoin, 66, is running for Donovan Barker's Division A seat in the Nov. 8 election. Barker is not seeking another term.
Born in Thibodaux, Baudoin spent the first few years of his life in Mathews but the last 64 years in Lockport.
"I have raised my children in Lockport," he said in his campaign announcement. "I have watched Lockport evolve into where it is today. I want to help Lockport grow economically now so that our future generations can continue to enjoy the benefits of living in a small town like my family has."
Baudoin's goals include working with property owners to target blight and repairing and repaving streets.
"If we work together to make our town more appealing, we can provide new businesses with reasons to come to Lockport," he wrote. "This would increase our tax revenue and provide revitalization for our town."
A 1967 graduate of Holy Savior Central Catholic High School, Baudoin earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from Nicholls State University in 1971. He graduated from LSU's Banking School of the South in 1987 and also completed several courses from the American Institute of Banking.
Baudoin worked for Bank One for 25 years and State Bank and Trust Co. for 15 years before retiring last year. For both companies, he held management positions concentrating on commercial, consumer and mortgage lending.
"Lockport has great opportunity for revitalization and development," he said in his campaign announcement. "With my finance and business background, I believe our town will be able to set a foundation for a prosperous future. Our community needs a development plan and its implementation to improve, and I want to help."
Baudoin is a notary public. He also serves on the South Central Planning and Development Commission's Loan Advisory Committee and administrative board, as well as the Lafourche Council on Aging's advisory board.
He previously was on the board for the Lafourche Chamber of Commerce and Bank Administration Institute, for which he also served as regional president. He was president of the Lockport Rotary Club, treasurer for the Holy Savior Catholic School PTC, and a charter member and treasurer of the town's Bullfrog Club.
Baudoin also served on the Lafourche Council on Aging's board of directors, the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux's Meitler Committee on Education, Holy Savior Catholic School's advisory board and the initial Lafourche Parish jail study subcommittee.
He is the son of Pearl C. Baudoin and the late Lloyd Baudoin. He has been married to the former Linda Galliano for 45 years, and they have two children and three grandchildren.
Former insurance agent Ralph Sapia, a Republican, is also running for Barker's seat.
Barker and Lockport Mayor Paul Champagne, who is also not running for re-election, said they're not endorsing anyone for Town Council.
Residents must register by Oct. 11 to vote in the election. Early voting runs from Oct. 25 through Nov. 1 for the primary and Nov. 26 through Dec. 3 for the Dec. 10 runoff.
-- Staff Writer Bridget Mire can be reached at 448-7639 or bridget.mire@dailycomet.com. Follow her on Twitter @bridget_mire.

Retired banker runs for Lockport Town Council


A retired banker and political newcomer has formally announced his candidacy for a Lockport Town Council seat being vacated.


Now that he's been an emergency medical technician for more than a year and a half, he's found his specialty.
"I didn't know I wanted to be an ER doc until I got into the emergency field and I was like, 'Wow. This is where it's at. This is where the adrenaline is, this is where the cool stuff happens,'" he said.
Smith, 24, earned his bachelor's degree from Nicholls State University in May 2014, with a major in biology and minor in chemistry. After he returned from a summer job in Tennessee, his mother suggested he enroll in emergency medical service classes.
He spent a few months at the National EMS Academy in Houma and started working out of Acadian's West Main Street station near Thibodaux in January 2015. He started the EMS Academy's paramedic program in August 2015, still working full time.
To finish paramedic school this month, Smith had to demonstrate medical assessments and care on a mannequin and run through a call with an instructor. Now that he's done, he'll start working as a paramedic in a few weeks.
Chad Davis, who been Smith's supervisor since he started, described him as a "model employee."
"He's punctual. He treats his patients professionally and kindly and helps the hospital staff out," Davis said. "Anything he can do to help his patients, he does. He's super kind and professional in his interactions with his coworkers. He and his partner work really well as a team. Anything asked of him, he does without question, with no issues."
Thibodaux Regional Medical Center honored Smith and his partner, Darryl Martinez, earlier this year with Wonderful Outstanding Worker, or WOW, awards for helping in the emergency room during a busy time.
Smith was chosen as Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5097's Medic of the Year and VFW District Medic of the Year. In June, he received Acadian's President's Performance Award, for which Davis nominated him.
He said he never expected the awards.
"It makes me feel good, makes me feel proud that I work for such an amazing company," he said. "I make sure that I go out there and do my best every day, and hopefully that reflects in my patient care and treatment of co-workers, not only with Acadian but also the hospital staff. ... Having a good rapport with them really helps our job a lot. They learn to trust you, and they learn that you can provide patient care, that way they don't have to worry too much."
Entry-level emergency medical technicians can only provide basic life support, Smith said, while paramedics can provide advanced life support, including cardiac monitoring, starting an IV and giving various medications EMTs can't give.
Smith said people in any emergency response field learn to keep their adrenaline and stress in check until after a situation is handled. Still, his first time responding to a patient in cardiac arrest and his first fatal crash stick with him.
"The hardest part of the job is that sometimes you know that no matter what you do, eventually your efforts are going to be futile," he said. "You've trained for all this time to learn how to fix people, and, unfortunately, things are just too bad sometimes for us to fix. ... The best way that I learned to cope with it is knowing that I did everything I could possibly do, and after that it's out of my hands."
Smith plans to apply to medical school with the hope of getting in next fall or the following spring. He wants to stay in the United States, possibly Tennessee.
"The most rewarding part of the job is the look on patients' faces when you are able to help them – and not only the patient, but also the family," he said. "I've always wanted to help people somehow, some way. That's probably the driving factor in wanting to be in the medical field. That's what I feel called to do, so to be able to hand them over to the hospital knowing they are in a better condition than when I found them is a very rewarding feeling."
-- Staff Writer Bridget Mire can be reached at 448-7639 or bridget.mire@dailycomet.com. Follow her on Twitter @bridget_mire.

Medical emergency responder dreams of being doctor


Before he joined Acadian Ambulance, Charlie Smith knew he wanted to be a doctor.


Unorganized storm predicted to enter Gulf, but its path is uncertain
A storm system that was southeast of Miami Saturday night was forecast to enter the southeast Gulf of Mexico Sunday or early Monday, but it remains unorganized and was given a medium chance of development into a tropical system.
Residents of Florida to Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana were advised by forecasters to continue to monitor the progress of Invest 99L and spend time reviewing storm plans as a precaution.
"There is a low to medium chance the system becomes more organized and gradually strengthens into a tropical depression or storm," AccuWeather meteorologist Ed Vallee said Saturday night.
"The waters of the Gulf of Mexico are warm enough for development, but the system will still be fighting dry air and some disruptive winds in the atmosphere," he added.
The National Hurricane Center was giving the storm, which is producing a large area of showers and thunderstorms, a 50 percent change of organizing into a tropical system in the next five days.
A National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Hurricane Hunter aircraft was to investigate the storm on Sunday.
An enhanced satellite image taken Saturday night showed Invest 99L over Cuba, traveling west-northwest at 10 mph.
"Regardless of development, enhanced showers and thunderstorms can be expected with localized flooding possible along the system's path," Vallee said.
The flood risk will be higher should the system reach Louisiana after the devastating flooding in mid-August.
Vallee said if the disturbance reaches the Gulf, it could swing back across the northern Florida Peninsula or track toward the upper Gulf Coast.
There are better conditions for development where water temperatures are in the upper 80s, he said, but the forecast models are still very uncertain of where Invest 99 will go. The spaghetti plots show it could go anywhere in the northern Gulf -- from the central Texas coast to south Florida.
Until there is an actual closed center of circulation, forecast models will continue to have a hard time showing where the system will go, forecasters said.
Hurricane season began June 1 and continues through Nov. 30.


A storm system that was southeast of Miami Saturday night was forecast to enter the southeast Gulf of Mexico Sunday or early Monday, but it remains unorganized and was given a medium chance of development into a tropical system.


Unorganized storm predicted to enter Gulf, but its path is uncertain


At Nicholls State University's Welcome Back Day festivities today, some students signed up for campus organizations, sororities and fraternities, while others lined up to ride a mechanical bull.
No matter what activities they took part in, many of them had one thing in common: their pride for the university.
Red and white colored T-shirts filled the ballroom in Nicholls' Bollinger Memorial Student Union building.
Campus organizations like International Community and KNSU 91.5 and various local businesses and organizations lined the ballroom with tables that displayed their pamphlets and giveaways.
Undergraduate and graduate students in all levels of study walked around the ballroom mingling with their peers or eating snacks provided by some organizations.
Twins Lila and Liza Thomas said they are mostly looking forward to earning better grade point averages this semester.
Their friend, Sandrea Williams, is just beginning her Nicholls career as she transferred from Xavier University in New Orleans.
The 19-year-old said she transferred because she was intrigued by the dietetics program.
"I really just love nutrition and how you can prevent diseases from happening based on what you eat," she said.
Graduate psychology student Breiah Daniels was drawn to her program of study because of the low student-to-teacher ratio.
"The professors, faculty and staff, they actually know people by name. I didn't think that could happen. They know my face and they remember me. You don't get lost in the crowd," Daniels said.
Midway through Thursday's festivities, university staff members pepped up the crowd with words of inspiration and encouragement.
New men's basketball coach Richie Riley, whose voice was a bit hoarse after days of yelling and coaching, encouraged students to get involved on campus.
"I've worked at a lot of universities, seen a lot of different things and Nicholls State is truly family," he said. "Our whole campus is motivated by family and that's why I love it here. I challenge you guys no matter what grade level to get out of your comfort zone and don't just be on this campus just to be here. Go get involved with things."
DoBee Plaisance, interim director of athletics and head women's basketball coach, welcomed students back in the only way she knows how: with her booming voice and energetic presence.
"Welcome back and let's start it off with a real good 'Go Colonels,'" she yelled. "Thank you for choosing Nicholls and bringing your gifts and your talents to Nicholls. Thank you for being future ambassadors to Nicholls."


At Nicholls State University's Welcome Back Day festivities today, some students signed up for campus organizations, sororities and fraternities, while others lined up to ride a mechanical bull.


U.S. pediatricians are pushing back against parents who resist having their children vaccinated against a broad range of dangerous diseases by calling on states to stop offering waivers to those with nonmedical objections to the practice.
In a policy statement issued today, the American Academy of Pediatrics also said that if parents continue to refuse vaccinations despite exhaustive efforts to change their minds, it would be acceptable for doctors to exclude these families from their practices.
The pronouncements are intended to guide U.S. pediatricians as they grapple with a rising tide of vaccine "hesitancy" on the part of parents. Among doctors who are members of the nation's largest organization of pediatricians, 87 percent have been challenged in the last year by parents who refused to have their children immunized, up from 75 percent in 2006.
Imperturbable in the face of colicky babies, toddlers' tantrums and teen angst, many pediatricians have reached the end of their patience with parents who are unconvinced of vaccines' lifesaving benefits. In 2013, 12 percent of pediatricians routinely asked parents to find another physician if they weren't willing to vaccinate their children. In 2006, only 6 percent routinely showed such parents the door, according to surveys by the academy.
That step should be a last resort, the group said.
In a lengthy report also released today by the academy, 23 specialists in pediatrics and infectious diseases said doctors should begin discussing the benefits of vaccines as early as the first prenatal visit. In doing so, they should be prepared to explain the scientific evidence supporting vaccines' use.
The panel also urged pediatricians to "personalize" the message that vaccines are safe, effective and powerful by sharing their own decisions to vaccinate their children or grandchildren. This particular advice was prompted by studies showing that skeptical parents tend to value the safety and comfort of their own children over arguments emphasizing the role of vaccines in benefiting the public at large.
Even as it gave physicians its blessing to dismiss vaccine refusers from their practices, the pediatricians' group acknowledged a widely held view among rank-and-file members: that for a profession dedicated to the well-being of children and their families, the decision to show patients the door is often difficult.
"It was gut-wrenching," said Dr. Alison Ziari, chief of pediatrics at the Austin Regional Clinic, a multi-specialty practice with 70 pediatricians in Texas that adopted a vaccinate-or-leave policy in July 2015. "These are our families. We love them and we want to care for them."
The survey results released Monday show that parents' concerns about vaccines have shifted in recent years. In 2006, pediatricians reckoned that nearly three-fourths of parents reluctant to vaccinate their children were motivated by fear that some vaccines could cause autism or have other adverse effects on a child's safety.
By 2013, safety concerns and the discredited link between vaccines and autism appeared to be less prominent causes of parental resistance. Instead, physicians attributed a growing number of parental objections to the view that vaccines are an unnecessary discomfort for their young children.
Such complacency is a common, if ironic, response to vaccines' success, doctors and epidemiologists say. Before a measles vaccine was introduced in 1963, virtually everyone got measles as a child, and hundreds of Americans died of the disease each year. Today, few parents of young children have even seen it.
"In a way, immunization has been a victim of its own success," said Dr. Sydney Spiesel, a pediatrician in Woodbridge, Conn., who has dismissed several families from his practice for refusing to vaccinate their children. "If you don't see terrible things happening, you're not seeing the risks" of failing to vaccinate.
The new guidelines follow a steady uptick in outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases, most notably measles and whooping cough. In 2015, a measles outbreak originating at Disneyland sickened 147 people in the United States, including 131 in California. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in March found that people who refused to vaccinate themselves or their children played a key role in initiating and accelerating those outbreaks.
Although all 50 states and the District of Columbia require that schoolchildren be immunized against a broad range of diseases, most states allow parents to opt out if they have a religious objection to vaccines and 18 allow for "philosophical exemptions" for those who object based on personal, moral or other grounds, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
The Disneyland outbreak helped spark an acrimonious debate over these nonmedical exemptions. Last month, a California law removing the state's "personal belief" exemption took effect, making California one of three states _ along with West Virginia and Mississippi _ that no longer grant nonmedical exemptions to vaccines.
"It's clear that states with more lenient exemptions policies have lower immunization rates, and it's these states where we have seen disease outbreaks occur as the rates slip below the threshold needed to maintain community immunity," said Dr. Geoffrey R. Simon, lead author of the medical exemptions policy statement.
___

U.S. pediatricians push back against parents who resist having their children vaccinated


U.S. pediatricians are pushing back against parents who resist having their children vaccinated against a broad range of dangerous diseases by calling on states to stop offering waivers to those with nonmedical objections to the practice.


Lots of flood insurance prices are being tossed around since high water overwhelmed tens of thousands of properties and their owners across south Louisiana.
The cost varies depending on location, but in low- to moderate-risk areas about $450 a year buys coverage for $250,000 worth of damage on a person's primary residence and $100,000 worth of contents, said Terri Forsman, flood-risk coordinator for Louisiana Companies in Baton Rouge. The policies also carry two deductibles, $1,250 for the structure and $1,250 for contents.
"Everybody's in a flood zone. If it rains where you live, you're in a flood zone," Forsman said. "The difference is if you're in a preferred-risk zone, which everybody is calling a no-flood zone ... it just means you're less likely to flood. If you're in a high-risk zone, you're more likely to flood."
Flood insurance costs less for less valuable homes in preferred-risk areas. According to FloodSmart.gov, the annual premium is $324 for a home valued at $100,000 with $40,000 in contents.
Rates vary widely in the A and V zones, which are considered more likely to flood, Forsman said. The cost depends on a number of factors, such as the amount of coverage, the location and the elevation of the home above the base flood level.
Forsman said there's lots of confusion about flood insurance.
Some of that comes from the fact that mortgage companies don't require home buyers to purchase flood insurance on properties in a preferred-risk zone. Some people think that means their homes won't flood.
Wells Fargo spokeswoman Crystal Drake said the federal Flood Disaster Protection Act requires flood insurance be in place for mortgaged properties in a Special Flood Hazard Area. Lenders have to conduct flood zone determinations during the loan application process and periodically afterward to make sure homes in a Special Flood Hazard Area are covered by flood insurance.
In high-risk areas, there is at least a 1-in-4 chance of flooding during a 30-year mortgage, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Roughly half of East Baton Rouge Parish lies in a flood hazard area, although large swaths of those properties have not been developed, said Warren Kron, city-parish GIS manager. Unfortunately, a lot of the areas considered less likely to flood, like Sherwood Forest, fell victim to high water this time around.
FEMA says more than 20 percent of flood insurance claims come from homes outside a flood hazard area.
Only a fraction of the Baton Rouge area's residents carry flood insurance, although Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon said he would not be surprised to see those numbers increase in the coming months.
Jeff Albright, chief executive officer of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of Louisiana, said he spoke to three agents Wednesday who have handled a bunch of flood claims.
All have sold lots of flood policies to people who almost flooded, but none to people who did flood. The agents told Albright that people who flooded are too busy trying to get their lives back together to think about buying flood insurance.
"Until they get their homes repaired, they are not going to worry about flood insurance," Albright said.
Donelon said the average cost for flood insurance statewide and in the Baton Rouge metro area is about $750, or roughly $60 a month, an amount that compares favorably to the loan payment likely facing homeowners who didn't have flood coverage.
Donelon said he expects most of the money to rebuild homes will come from the U.S. Small Business Administration.
"They'll be very low interest loans, probably 2 percent, and long-term, probably 30 years," Donelon said. "But what that does to these people is it strips out all of the equity in their biggest asset in their family."
Flood victims will be left with a $45,000 second mortgage, he said. They'll also be left with little or no equity in their homes or with homes that are worth less than what they owe on mortgages.
The monthly payment on a 30-year loan at 2 percent is about $166, before any fees.
In addition, flood victims may not realize that their flood insurance policy's contents coverage won't pay for new replacement goods, unless the flood-damaged items were new.
The contents are replaced at their "actual cash value," Forsman said. Adjusters follow depreciation schedules.
Donelon said a flat-screen TV is worse than a new car, which loses $10,000 in value when the buyer drives it off the lot. "Sofas are comparable to flat-screens," he said.

Attention, south Louisiana: 'Everybody's in a flood zone'


Lots of flood insurance prices are being tossed around since high water overwhelmed tens of thousands of properties and their owners across south Louisiana.


At one time, Fred Mars said, the Chackbay Volunteer Fire Department made between $13,000 and $20,000 a year.
Last year, the department made over $100,000 – a record-breaking amount – on its Louisiana Gumbo Festival alone.
That's not the only progress made in the Fire Department's 50 years.
Mars said he joined a year or two after the local Jaycees formed the department in August 1966, and he served as the fourth of six fire chiefs. First came a fire station near Our Lady of Prompt Succor Catholic Church, followed by one near Nocko's convenience store.
In the beginning, Mars said, chemical plants would give the department bunker gear and air packs, and the Red Cross donated a Ford van to the rescue squad. In 1979, the department got its own frequency through the FCC and bought a system that included a transmitter, antenna, pagers and radios.
Department President Josh Falgoust said the department's name originally included Choupic and Choctaw and there was a Choctaw fire station. Choctaw eventually formed its own fire department.
"They had a need for fire protection here," Falgoust said. "Otherwise, they would have to call Thibodaux to come all the way."
The department will celebrate its 50th anniversary from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday at the Chackbay Fairgrounds, 326 La. 304. The event will include fire prevention demonstrations, truck and equipment displays, a bounce house, free food and drinks, music and guest speakers.
Falgoust has been with the department for 15 years and seen upgrades in equipment as well as changes in structure.
"When the Fire Department first started, fire and rescue were really two different things," he said. "Chackbay was one of the first departments in this area to have a dedicated rescue squad where they had Jaws of Life and that type of equipment. ... They would travel far distances because nobody else had that kind of stuff. It was kind of an elite, specialized unit that would go all over, and nowadays, you're not a fireman unless you're also an emergency medical responder. Our firemen do everything now."
This year, the Fire Department saved money by purchasing a refurbished pumper and a used truck. It's waiting on another truck to arrive.
The department is also building a 3,700-square-foot station along La. 20, just past the Sugar Ridge neighborhood. Fire officials hope the new station will help with response times to that area and provide more space for equipment.
Falgoust said the station should go out for bid in October, with construction starting in January.
He said money is the greatest issue for the Fire Department, followed by manpower. It's difficult to not only recruit and keep volunteers, he said, but also maintain training.
His goals for the department are to continue upgrading equipment and increasing training and to maintain its Class 5 rating with the Property Insurance Association of Louisiana. The association ranks fire departments every five years on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being the best.
Because many volunteers work outside of Chackbay, the department has an agreement with the Thibodaux Volunteer Fire Department for responding to incidents during the day.
Eddie Luquette said he was rescue chief starting about 26 years ago.
"We had probably one of the best rescue squads in the area back then, but compared to what it is right now, it was nothing," he said. "The department has really, really grown. I got the uniforms, I set up all the medical boxes. I had one EMT on my squad. They have EMTs and they have paramedics on the squad right now. The volume of calls is just phenomenal. We might have had 30 calls a year. Now, they have 100."
Mars said despite some challenges, firefighters have worked hard to build the department.
"I'm really proud of our firefighters that we have today," he said. "They're showing a lot more skill, a lot more dedication. They're wanting to grow the department. Of course they have the money to do it, but they still have to go out and generate money. I am truly proud of those boys. We've done a long time, and I don't regret one ounce of it."
-- Staff Writer Bridget Mire can be reached at 448-7639 or bridget.mire@dailycomet.com. Follow her on Twitter @bridget_mire.

Chackbay Volunteer Fire Department celebrates 50 years


At one time, Fred Mars said, the Chackbay Volunteer Fire Department made between $13,000 and $20,000 a year.


An increase in the number of rigs drilling for oil and gas in the U.S. has stalled for the first time in eight weeks.
This week, 489 rigs were operating across the U.S., down by two for the week ending Friday, Houston-based oilfield service company Baker Hughes Inc. said. The total is down 44 percent compared to the 877 drilling a year ago.
Of this week's total, 406 rigs sought oil and 81 natural gas. Two were listed as miscellaneous.
Louisiana's rig count -- both on land and offshore -- dropped by one, according to the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources. The state's total, 42, is down by 41 percent compared to the 71 working a year ago.
The Gulf of Mexico rig count, which has the greatest impact on Houma-Thibodaux's oil-based economy, dropped by one to 17 this week. It's down by 12 rigs, 41 percent, from a year ago.
Crude oil prices, meanwhile, dropped by about 3 percent this week, their first weekly loss in a month. U.S. benchmark crude, West Texas Intermediate, closed at $47.64 a barrel. Brent, the international benchmark, closed at $47.39 a barrel.
Both have risen by about 17 percent this month, but prices are still at less than half their levels from two years ago as oil supplies have outpaced demand.
Terrebonne and Lafourche residents have watched the numbers as a downturn in the oil and gas industry, the area's main economic engine, continues to take a toll. In the past two-and-a-half years, Houma-Thibodaux's unemployment rate has risen from the nation's lowest, 2.8 percent, to its current 7.2 percent.
The local jobless rate has fallen to 362nd among 372 nationwide, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Including ties, only 23 metro areas have higher unemployment rates than Houma-Thibodaux, which has lost more than 7,000 jobs in two years.
Some analysts say price increases seen this month are based on a weaker U.S. dollar speculation about OPEC production cuts and rather than market fundamentals, adding that the oil glut that started the industry slide in mid-2014 remains.
"As the U.S. dollar weakens, crude oil becomes relatively less expensive for those holding foreign currencies, which increases demand and puts upward pressure on oil prices," the American Automobile Association said in a weekly report. "This upward momentum has been further supported by reports that OPEC members will again consider an agreement that would limit production in the face of the global glut of crude oil supplies that has more than halved prices in recent years."
However, commercial crude oil inventories across the nation rose 2.5 million barrels for the week ending Aug. 19, the U.S. Energy Information Agency said this week.
"U.S. crude oil inventories are at historically high levels for this time of year," the agency said in its weekly report.
“It looks like trading in oil ... is all about the dollar,” Tyler Richey, co-editor of the investment newsletter The 7:00’s Report, told MarketWatch on Friday. “Oil surged higher on a knee-jerk reaction inversely to the earlier plunge we saw in the dollar index, not anything specific to oil market fundamentals.”

Rig count, prices stall after weeks of gains


An increase in the number of rigs drilling for oil and gas in the U.S. has stalled for the first time in eight weeks.


A former Terrebonne Parish Sheriff's Office captain pleaded guilty this morning in New Orleans to a federal charge of theft of government funds.
Dawn Foret, 38, of Houma, stole a total of $14,728, the U.S. Attorney's Office in New Orleans said in a news release. She faces up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release and a $100 special assessment.
Foret resigned June 13 from her position as assistant chief of detectives at the Sheriff's Office, and the U.S. Attorney's Office charged her June 24. U.S. District Judge Sarah Vance will sentence her Dec. 14.
According to prosecutors, the Sheriff's Office received approval in October 2009 for a federal grant to help curb underage drinking through July 2012. The U.S. Department of Transportation provided money for the grant, which the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission administered.
Foret recruited volunteers for overtime work, planned operations and composed reports after officers investigated bars and convenience stores to see if they were selling alcohol to minors, prosecutors said. The grant administrator twice told Foret she could bill the grant for completing those tasks, and she typically billed less than officers who were present during the operations and didn't enter specific time periods.
Months later, prosecutors said, the liaison adviser for the Highway Safety Commission informed the Sheriff's Office that only officers present during the operations could bill the grant.
The U.S. Attorney's Office said Foret continued to bill the grant, and on June 4, 2010, she started claiming every hour of operation. Starting on June 18, 2010, she occasionally claimed grant time hours that overlapped with an off-duty detail.
After being promoted to a captain Sept. 13, 2010, Foret was able to approve her own timesheets, prosecutors said. From Nov. 6, 2010, through July 18, 2012, Foret included herself in 124 of 130 reports, suggesting she was present for almost all operations when she wasn’t present for any.
"Detective Foret was sworn to uphold the law," U.S. Attorney Kenneth Polite Jr. said in a statement. “Instead, she violated that oath by stealing federal funds intended to reduce underage drinking in our community. Today's guilty plea ensures that she is held accountable for her criminal actions."
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edward Rivera and Bill McSherry prosecuted the case. Baton Rouge attorney Rodney Baum is representing Foret.
“This plea was done after much discussion with Dawn and the United States Attorney’s Office,” Baum said in an email. “Due to all of the circumstances involved in this case, Dawn determined that it was in her best interest to accept a plea at this time.”
He said he may comment further after the sentencing.
Darryl Stewart, the former narcotics head for the Sheriff's Office, pleaded guilty June 1 to the same charge. He resigned from the Sheriff's Office in April.
Prosecutors said from 2009-12, Stewart claimed and approved his own overtime for federal grants related to a narcotics task force, sometimes claiming overtime without actually doing narcotics work or while working private security details. The total he improperly billed was $15,925.
U.S. District Judge Ivan L.R. Lemelle will sentence Stewart Sept. 7.
Staff Writer Bridget Mire can be reached at 448-7639 or bridget.mire@dailycomet.com. Follow her on Twitter @bridget_mire.

Former Terrebonne sheriff's captain pleads guilty to federal theft charge


A former Terrebonne Parish Sheriff's Office captain pleaded guilty this morning in New Orleans to a federal charge of theft of government funds.


Prosecutors can use rape allegations against the defendant in a Lafourche Parish triple-murder trial despite his attorneys' assertion of a lack of physical proof of sexual assault, a judge ruled today.
David Brown, 38, of Houma, is charged with first-degree murder in the Nov. 4, 2012, stabbings of 29-year-old Jacquelin and her daughters, 7-year-old Gabriela and 1-year-old Izabela Nieves.
Brown is also accused of sexually assaulting Jacquelin and Gabriela Nieves and then setting the family's Lockport apartment on fire. He is no longer formally charged with rape or arson, but prosecutors plan to use those claims to justify seeking the death penalty if he is convicted in his trial starting Sept. 12.
In a hearing in Thibodaux, state District Judge John LeBlanc denied several requests by New Orleans attorney Kerry Cuccia, of the Capital Defense Project of Southeast Louisiana.
Cuccia asked to void the sexual-assault allegations in Brown's indictment. He told LeBlanc that although there was trauma to Jacquelin's and Gabriela's genitals, there is no evidence it was caused by rape.
He also pointed out that male DNA was found on the bodies, but it was not from semen. He said any reference to semen or sperm fractions in experts' explanation of how they collect and analyze DNA samples would lead the jury to believe semen or sperm was found at the scene.
All DNA in the case came from skin cells, Cuccia noted. He said prosecutors couldn't prove who sexually assaulted the victims or with what, and that only evidence proving something should be allowed.
"When rape allegations are based on circumstantial evidence and semen is not found, physical injuries 'strongly' suggestive of sexual assault are not sufficient, as a matter of law, to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that a rape or attempted rape has occurred," Cuccia wrote in one motion.
He added that "allegations of rape – especially those involving child victims – are very inflammatory" to a jury.
First Assistant District Attorney Kristine Russell told the judge that the introduction of all samples, whether they supported prosecutors' allegations or not, would allow expert witnesses to give honest, thorough testimony. Attorneys would be also able to question why some samples had the Y-chromosome and others didn't, she added.
"The thoroughness of the investigation is extremely relevant," Russell said, especially with capital cases.
She said complexity of evidence shouldn't bar prosecutors from using it, as it's the attorneys' job to clearly explain terms to the jury.
Cuccia also argued that seven to nine other men in Lafourche, along with every male on Brown's father's side of the family, could match a group of genes found at the crime scene. He noted that a type of analysis used on the samples only tests the paternal side and not the maternal side.
LeBlanc ultimately determined that the evidence found at the scene was relevant to the investigation of the case. He also said if he were to caution the jury about what is and is not included in each type of analysis, he would be commenting on the evidence.
-- Staff Writer Bridget Mire can be reached at 448-7639 or bridget.mire@dailycomet.com. Follow her on Twitter @bridget_mire.

Judge allows prosecutors to introduce rape allegations during triple-murder trial


Prosecutors can use rape allegations against the defendant in a Lafourche Parish triple-murder trial despite his attorneys' assertion of a lack of physical proof of sexual assault, a judge ruled today.


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THE 21st ANNUAL Crawley Irish Festival took place on Sunday at the Hawth Theatre in Crawley, West Sussex, organised by the Celtic and Irish Cultural Society.
Irish country singer Shawn Cuddy headlined a great day of music and craic, which included arts workshops, Irish dancing, three live music stages, a ceili and the Kerry v Dublin All Ireland football semi-final on the big screen, with the large crowds enjoying a great day of music and fun in the West Sussex town.
here Clickto view more pictures from the day
Photos will also appear in The Irish Post’s print edition
Dancers from the Ace Academy of Irish dance Carefree in Crawley Lucinda Dash, Sandra and Christina Sacre and 8 month old Nieve Sacre-Dash Irish country singer Shawn Cuddy is pictured MC for the day Gerry Molumby Pat Nolan and Patrick Byrne from the Kilkenny GAA Supporters Club London The Craicheads on stage

In Pictures: Music and fun at the 21st Crawley Irish Festival


The Irish Post
is the biggest selling national newspaper to the Irish in Britain. Irishpost.co.uk delivers all the latest Irish news to our online audience around the globe.

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The ‘Northumberland Navy’ of sail trainees is set to swell as The North Sea Tall Ships Regatta approaches.
Four new recruits have been selected to take part in Regatta activities and join the race to Sweden from the Northumberland coast.
The trainees are being supported by Blyth ward councillors Grant Davey; Susan Davey; Gordon Webb; and by Berwick East Ward councillor, Jim Smith.
The four trainees have been selected by the Northumberland Youth Service and will be joining the Tall Ship Christian Radich.
The trainees are Edward Alan Stoker, aged 18; Paul Cozens, aged 22; and Cameron Hartley, aged 16, all from Blyth; and Shannon Lowrie, aged 16 from Berwick.
A total of 80 recruits aged 15 to 63 have now enlisted to take part in the 500 nautical mile race from Blyth to Gothenburg.
Northumberland County Council, in partnership with the Port of Blyth and Sail Training International, is hosting the prestigious Regatta with Fergusons of Blyth confirmed as the Principal Sponsor.
Cameron has just left Bede School Academy and is being sponsored by Isabella Ward councillor Gordon Webb.
He said: “I’ve sailed before on a week’s training and sailed from North Shields to Blyth and Hartlepool and I can’t wait to be part of this.
“I loved the experience and I’m really looking forward to being part of a big team on board this huge Tall Ship.
“It will be my first time abroad and my first time in a Tall Ships race so I’m very excited.”
Shannon, from Spittal, Berwick, is being sponsored by Coun Jim Smith.
Shannon said: “It’s a bit scary and also incredibly exciting to have been selected in the Regatta and join a Tall Ship in the race to Gothenburg – what a way to travel abroad for the first time!
“I haven’t sailed before but I think this will be an amazing opportunity to sail on one of these majestic Tall Ships and I’m really looking forward to the experience.”
Most of the Tall Ships trainees come from Northumberland and 33 are being sponsored by ward councillors.
Coun Grant Davey, leader of Northumberland County Council, is supporting sail trainee, Edward Stoker.
Coun Davey said: “Taking part in the Regatta events and sailing to Gothenburg will be a thrilling adventure for our trainees.
“It will be an amazing experience for the trainees to join an international crew and race on a Tall Ship to Sweden. It’s an opportunity to learn new skills and to tackle some unique challenges and I’m delighted to be supporting Edward.”
Alwyne Colley and Steve Barrigan from the Northumberland Youth Service will be mentoring and accompanying the trainees.
There are still spaces available for paying trainees. Visit www.sailtraininginternational.org/sail-on-board
The North Sea Tall Ships Regatta Blyth 2016 takes place over the weekend of August 26 to 29, and features five zones of free family entertainment.

BLYTH TALL SHIPS: Trainees ready to set sail in race


The ‘Northumberland Navy’ of sail trainees is set to swell as The North Sea Tall Ships Regatta approaches.


Gardeners are helping to bring a splash of colour to the streets ahead of the forthcoming North Sea Tall Ships Regatta.
An extra splash of colour has been brought to a circular design featuring a nautical theme planted on the links near the bandstand at Blyth.
Wild flowers that have been planted ahead of the Tall Ships Regatta in Blyth.
The design features a two-masted ship as its centrepiece celebrating Blyth’s very own Tall Ship, the Williams II, and the imminent arrival of a fleet of Tall Ships to the port.
The bed, which is five metres in diameter, features a red and yellow theme to match the colours of the Northumberland county flag.
The colour theme has been repeated across all floral displays in Blyth.
Northumberland County Council, in partnership with the Port of Blyth and Sail Training International, is hosting the prestigious Regatta with Fergusons of Blyth the principal sponsor.
Blyth Town Council has funded the maritime gardening while the gardeners work for the county council’s Neighbourhood Services team.
The design was sent to Kernock Plants in Cornwall with the plants delivered to site, pre-grown in trays.
It took the gardening team four hours to complete the planting of nearly 20,000 plants to create the bed.
Coun Val Tyler, cabinet member for arts, leisure and culture at the county council, said: “These floral displays are a wonderful way to celebrate the Tall Ships coming to Northumberland.
“The designs are ingenious and the Northumberland-themed wildflower displays are a joy to see, providing a bright and beautiful welcome for our residents and the many visitors coming into the town.”
The team has also planted spectacular wildflower displays along Rotary Way and South Newsham Road.
The wildflowers along Rotary way were funded by Blyth Town Council and include a mixture of cornfield annuals including poppy, corn marigold, corn clower, corn chamomile and corn cockle.
Local ward councillor and chair of events at Blyth Town Council, Kath Nisbet: “The gardening team has done a superb job creating these maritime and wildflower beds.
“The Blyth Tall Ship Williams II design is a great floral tribute to the past exploits of our very own local hero, Captain William Smith, and the future plans to recreate his journey of adventure and discovery of Antarctica.”
Martin Lawlor, chief executive, Port of Blyth, said: “There are just three weeks to the Regatta and Blyth is really starting to look the part for welcoming the Tall Ships fleet to the county with street dressing, floral displays, and posters in shop windows – it’s very exciting!”
The Tall Ships Regatta Blyth 2016 takes place over the weekend of August 26 to 29, and features five zones of free family entertainment.

BLYTH TALL SHIPS: Flowers helping bring splash of colour to Regatta


Gardeners are helping to bring a splash of colour to the streets ahead of the forthcoming North Sea Tall Ships Regatta.


The south car park for the Tall Ships Regatta is closed today due to heavy rain.
Visitors must use the north car park. All park and ride highway signs will direct motorists to the north car park, which is hard standing.
All pre-purchased event parking tickets are valid for the north car park.
Despite the rain, the event is fully open today from 10am to 10pm and from 10am to 5pm on Monday.
For the latest from the Tall Ships event, follow our live blog, http://www.newspostleader.co.uk/live/event?2291187www.newspostleader.co.uk/live/event?2291187
Remember to tweet using the hashtag #TallShipsBlyth to get involved.


The south car park for the Tall Ships Regatta is closed today due to heavy rain.


The Tall Ships programme has been giving young people an opportunity to experience life on the water.
A group of teenagers made up most of the crew on the Challenger 3 boat that sailed from Portsmouth to Blyth over the past week.
The five-day journey included docking periods in Cowes and Hartlepool and it was a challenging start as the wind was 40 knots. The ship reached Northumberland on Thursday.
These sailing trips are provided by the Tall Ships Youth Trust. Bursaries are available to young people from across the country.
As well as fund-raisers and proceeds from adult voyages, money for the youth voyages is donated individual sponsors.
Becky Tweedale, 17, was one of the teenagers on-board. This was her first time sailing.
She said: "I was looking to do something memorable this summer and I stumbled across the Tall Ships Youth Trust sailing opportunities online.
"I'm so glad that I signed up because it has been an amazing experience and I've learnt so much in a short space of time.
"I felt awful at first because it was so rocky and I had to get used to the watch system of being asleep for four hours then awake for four hours as we sailed through the night.
"I didn't realise that the crew also chipped in with cooking and cleaning, but once I got used to it, I found being on-board very enjoyable.
"I made some new friends and we were able to play some fun games when we docked. It has also been useful to develop the hand signal communication skills and learning the sailing terms."
The Doncaster resident added that she has got the taste for it and will be part of a crew on a boat from Southampton to Brixham in Devon next week.
Adult Kirstie Rowe, mate on board Challenger 3, said: "The youngsters were quiet at the start of the journey, but they soon became more confident and being in such a close environment helped them to talk to each other, and now they are very chatty.
"Some of them have been recommended for watch leader and assistant watch leader positions so they can help other youngsters who are giving sailing a try on future voyages."
For more information about voyages with the Tall Ships Youth Trust, visit tallships.org


The Tall Ships programme has been giving young people an opportunity to experience life on the water.