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Just in time for what promises to be another busy season, the National Hurricane Center reports that last year’s summer that already will be long remembered was even worse than we thought.
The center updated its data on Hurricane Zeta, the record-breaking fifth named storm to strike Louisiana in 2020. It was originally rated as a Category 2 storm, but has been upgraded to major Category 3 status. That makes Zeta, which came ashore near Cocodrie on October 28, the latest major hurricane to strike the U.S. in a calendar year. The old record was set in 1921 by a hurricane that landed at Tampa Bay on October 25. That also brought the number of major storms to hit the U.S. to seven, which tied 2020 with 2005 — another memorable year in Louisiana — for the most big storms in a single season.
All-in-all, 2020 turned out to be the most active Atlantic hurricane season on record. There were 30 named storms, 13 of them hurricanes, seven major storms. Twelve of the named storms hit the United States, breaking the record of nine set in 1916. Five came ashore in Louisiana, breaking the state record for the most strikes in a season.
The hurricane center experts do not expect 2021 to reach those numbers, but they do expect this to be the sixth above normal year in a row. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecast calls for 13 to 20 named storms with sustained winds of at least 39 mph. It says six to 10 of those are likely to become hurricanes, and three to five may become major hurricanes (Category 3 or higher).
AccuWeather’s veteran storm watcher Dan Kottlowski forecasts 16 to 20 named storms, including seven to 10 hurricanes, three to five of at least Category 3 with sustained winds of 111 miles per hour or more.
Forecaster Todd Crawford at The Weather Company calls for 19 named storms, eight hurricanes and four major hurricanes. Colorado State University’s Philip Klotzbach expects 17 named storms, eight hurricanes, four of them major.
These predictions for another above normal season come even after the experts bumped up their definition of what “normal” is. Until this year, “normal” was 12 named storms, six hurricanes and three major hurricanes in a season. The “new normal” is 14 named storms, seven hurricanes and three major hurricanes.
The scientists have also hedged their bets with the usual mumbo-jumbo about what La Niña may or may not do, how hot sea surface temperatures will become, wind shear, and so on, but tend to agree with Crawford that “we don’t expect anything close to what happened in 2020.”
That’s reassuring, but I am also reminded that last year the scientists didn’t expect anything close to what actually happened. I’ll cast my lot with Klotzbach’s note that “coastal residents are reminded that it only takes one hurricane making landfall to make it an active season for them.”
A collection of Jim Bradshaw’s columns, Cajuns and Other Characters, is now available from Pelican Publishing. You can contact him at jimbradshaw4321@gmail.com or P.O. Box 1121, Washington LA 70589.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 AM on Friday, June 4, 2021 in St. Joseph Catholic Church - Milton, LA for Lynwood Vincent, 101, who passed away on May 31, 2021 at his residence.
Father William Schambough, Pastor of St. Joseph Catholic Church - Milton, will be Celebrant of the Mass and will conduct the funeral services. Father Louis Richard, Pastor of St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church - Abbeville, will serve as an Honorary Co-Celebrant of the Mass.
Burial will take place in St. Joseph Mausoleum.
A native and lifelong resident of Milton, Lynwood was the son of the late Asa Vincent of Vermilion Parish and the former Edith Sellers Vincent of Milton. He was a veteran of World War II, serving the 1st Army, 7th Corps, 9th Infantry Division, having served as a Corporal in the European Theater of Operations. He was awarded six Bronze Stars and the French Croix de Guerre with a Bronze Star, in addition to his numerous campaign medals. He was a member of VFW Post 9210 and a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church. After returning from the war, he was employed by the Water Pumping Plant of Maurice, and Young Industries of Youngsville, then went into sales at Montgomery Ward, later at Ray Chevrolet, and lastly, Wickes Lumber, for many years, as Assistant Manager and Sales, until he retired.
Lynwood will always be remembered by his family and friends as an engaging storyteller with a wonderful sense of humor. He was full of jokes and kept everyone laughing, even during his final days. He loved John Wayne movies and Big Band music. His knowledge of family histories in the local areas was unequaled.
Survivors include three sons, Donald Robert Vincent and his wife Brenda of Milton, LA, Lynn Everett Vincent and fiancée, Honey Ledoux of Milton, LA, and Benny James Vincent and his wife Denice of Kemah, TX; one daughter, Mary Ellen Winters and her husband Bob; three grandsons, Michael Shane Vincent of Houston, TX, Cy Everett Vincent and partner Minh Nguyen of Orlando, FL, and Ryan Christopher Winters and spouse Jacob Williams of Lafayette, LA; four granddaughters, Amy Lynette Stewart and husband Joel of Aurora, CO, Sister Nina Michelle Vincent, OLS of Alexandria, LA, Christie Catherine Winters of Houston, TX, and Melody Claire Winters of Orlando, FL; three great-grandchildren, Troy Stewart, Shane Vincent, and Stephen Vincent; several nieces and nephews; three step granddaughters, Christin, Janna, and Delane Dupuy; and three step grandsons, Tyler, Taylor, and Trey Price.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Josie Hidalgo Vincent; parents, Edith Sellers Vincent and Asa Vincent; three sisters, Annie Mae Vincent, Althea Vincent, and Louise Menard; and one brother, Freddie Vincent.
The family requests that visiting hours be observed at Delhomme Funeral Home - Maurice on Thursday, June 3, 2021 from 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM. A Rosary will be prayed at 6:30 PM on Thursday evening and at 9:00 AM on Friday morning in the funeral home. Visiting hours will continue Friday, June 4, 2021 from 8: 00 AM - 10:30 AM.
Pallbearers will be Donald Vincent, Lynn Vincent, Benny Vincent, Michael Shane Vincent, Cy Vincent, and Ryan Winters.
Personal condolences may be sent to the Vincent family at www.delhommefuneralhome.com.
Delhomme Funeral Home, 200 Chief H. Fred Road, Maurice, LA is in charge of funeral arrangements.

You already know the problems created by physical clutter. It takes a long time to find anything. Stuff gets lost. Efficiency drops. The mess grows on its own. Mental clutter affects you in the same way. You can’t remember things, your emotional state is dragged down, and effectiveness drops.
Decluttering your mind helps you declutter your life. It’s a great habit to develop. Start by letting go of all useless mental garbage. This includes negative thoughts, fears, anger, bitterness, anxiety, and stress. Release any thoughts which don’t lead anywhere positive.
These destructive thoughts undermine your emotional state and inhibit your accomplishments. Your mental garbage is an anchor which drags you down. It clogs your mind by taking up valuable space which should be used for positive energy.
Stress and anxiety are always attempting to clutter your mind. Any positive steps you take to reduce stress and anxiety go a long way to decluttering your mind.
An effective decluttering action is breaking through the logjam of procrastination. Procrastination fills your mind with tasks that you can’t let go of because they haven’t been started or they have not been completed.
Tackle a pesky task by working on it for just 15 minutes. This gets you started, and often finished. Once a task is completed, it can be purged from your mind. This approach is an easy and effective method of quickly decluttering your mind.
Make decisions. Indecision creates stress. Make the best decisions possible based on what you know today. Putting off decisions clogs your mind because you are worrying about what you should do. Avoidance isn’t an effective strategy.
Fix problems as soon as possible. Problems tend to grow over time when ignored. Small problems are easier to deal with. Unresolved problems are a constant mental burden. There is a solution for every problem. Solving a problem provides immediate mental relief. Each resolved problem is one less mental burden.
Prioritize what you need to accomplish. Eliminate non-essential activities which accomplish nothing meaningful. Create a targeted to-do list which contains just your three most important objectives. Complete your number one objective first. Maintaining a focus on what’s most important purges mental clutter.
Breaking each goal into small, manageable steps helps defeat procrastination. You will more readily start something which is easy to do, versus anything you perceive to be overwhelming. Your mind becomes cluttered with incomplete tasks and expanding to-do lists.
Distinguish between productivity and activity. You are productive when working towards a specific goal. You are active when you are busy with no results to show. Productivity declutters your mind. The more you accomplish, the better you feel. Each accomplishment motivates you to complete your next objective.
Avoid multitasking because it erodes your effectiveness and creates stress by attempting to do many things at once. Your brain can only concentrate on one thing at a time. You wouldn’t want the pilot of your flight to be texting, talking, and watching a video while attempting to land the plane.
Multitasking requires you to continually switch gears as you alternate between tasks. Thoroughly completing each task before moving on to the next one is less stressful than trying to do numerous things simultaneously.
Stop worrying. Worry is draining without accomplishing anything. Replace worry with positive action. Do something to deal with the situation you are concerned about. Let go of any circumstances which are beyond your control.
Each step you take to declutter your mind boosts your emotional state. Carrying around mental garbage is exhausting. Your mental clutter has been a companion for so long you consider it a normal part of life. As you start to declutter, you will experience an amazing feeling of relief.

A bill would allow citizens 21 and older to carry a concealed handgun without a permit, breezed through the Louisiana House, but the bill created debate amongst law enforcement agents.
Under current rules, citizens must undergo safety training and a background check to obtain a permit to carry a concealed weapon.
The legislation would do away with those requirements.
Rep. Bryan Fontenot, R-Thibodaux, sponsor of HB 596, said there is a balance between constitutional freedoms and government mandates.
“I believe that training should be required, but the constitution says we have the right to possess firearms,” Fontenot told the House last week in Baton Rouge.
He said State Police spend about $700,000 on the permitting process, including background checks, and collect about $5 million per year.
“Honest citizens should not be burdened with background checks,” Fontenot said.
Vermilion Parish Sheriff Mike Couvillon gave his thoughts on the bill.
“As a law enforcement officer and father, I support the right for law-abiding citizens to carry a firearm, which is the right to protect oneself and family,” said Couvillon. “The criminals carry with no adherence to rules, and this bill in its current form would allow law-abiding citizens to carry without the need for government approval or oversight.
“We were happy to see the bill includes a duty to inform if you are carrying when encountering law enforcement along with some basic restrictions and that the bill does not interfere with current gun-free zones that prohibit the carrying of firearms. However, as a matter of public safety, I do encourage the public to seek basic firearm safety and skills training.”
When approved last week in a House committee, the proposal sparked heavy opposition from law enforcement leaders, including the Louisiana Association of Chiefs of Police and Baton Rouge Police Chief Murphy Paul.
Gov. John Bel Edwards has said he would veto any bill that ends the permitting process.
Erath Police Chief Anna LaPointe is all for carrying a firearm and not having to pay money to get a permit to carry a gun.
However, she still would like the person who wants a gun to get some training.
“I worry about not being trained,” said LaPointe. “I am all for gun rights. But there should be some classes to teach people how to use a firearm. Even if it is a one-day class, it is something.”
Kaplan Police Chief added, “I believe the open carry law is great, but to conceal a weapon without a permit could make safety issues at some point with people pulling a weapon on someone and officers pulling up could create an issue.”
Abbeville Police Chief Bill Spearman said the Abbeville Police Department has a duty to uphold the constitution and laws of our great country, state and city. As the chief of police, he said he shall ensure that the police department continues to enforce and uphold the laws set forth by our elected legislators, said the chief.
Maurice Police Chief Guy Nerren said getting trained to carry a firearm makes the person using the gun better prepared to use the gun.
“It is everyone’s constitutional right to bear arms,” said Maurice Police Chief Guy Nerren. “I think having concealed carry classes and permits is a good thing because it gives individuals training on how to use a handgun properly.
“Laws are not technically put into place to harm individuals. It is to protect individuals. The criminal element will always get around laws. I do not think most people will have a problem with the permits if you’re on the right side of the law.”
He compared it to getting a driver’s license. A person has to take a test and learn the laws of the road before they can drive. Once they know the rules of driving, they are awarded with a driver’s license.
“Think about it this way, if someone wants to carry a weapon, it is to protect themselves,” Nerren added. “So, would you not want that person trained if they have to use it?”
Rep. Mandie Landry, D-New Orleans, cited a poll that showed 80% of state residents favor keeping the current permit process, reported in the Advocate newspaper.
Rep Blake Miguez said 21 other states have similar laws, and making the bill a state law would strengthen Second Amendment rights for Louisiana residents.
“I support constitutional carry because law-abiding citizens shouldn’t need permission from the government to exercise their second amendment constitutional rights of defending themselves and their loved ones. If passed, Louisiana would join 21 other states who have passed similar legislation. In Louisiana, this would bring concealed carry rules in line with the current law for open carry,” said Miguez.