Louisiana

Married dad, 36, and female entrepreneur, 31, both meet tragic end after two boats collide on Louisiana lake

Published

2 years ago

July 30, 2024

Married dad, 36, and female entrepreneur, 31, both meet tragic end after two boats collide on Louisiana lake

A married father and a female boat passenger were killed in a accident on a Louisiana lake after their boats collided.

Chase Sharkey, 36, of Greensburg, was operating a 25-foot pontoon boat when it collided with Thuy Gustin’s Sea Fox boat in the Tickfaw River near Kings Point, roughly 65 miles outside of New Orleans, on Sunday.

Gustin, 31, of Springfield, was found trapped underneath the Sea Fox around midnight after it capsized by a Good Samaritan, who jumped into the water to save her, according to Fox 8 Live. She ran her own marketing firm.

They performed CPR on the mother-of-two until an ambulance arrived and she was taken to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Sharkey, a father of four, was found deceased by rescue crews 12 hours later.

Chase Sharkey, 36, of Greensburg, (left) was operating a 25-foot pontoon boat when it collided with Thuy Gustin’s Sea Fox boat in the Tickfaw River near Kings Point on Sunday. Gustin, 31, of Springfield, (right) was found trapped underneath the Sea Fox after it capsized by a Good Samaritan, who jumped into the water to save her

It is unclear if his wife, Shelly Verberne Sharkey, was on the boat. One friend suggested she was, but further details have not been shared.

DailyMail.com has reached to Shelly for comment.

Six others – three from each boat – were injured in the crash and all were taken to the hospital with serious injuries, according to WDSU.

The cause the crash is currently unknown. DailyMail.com has contacted the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries, who are investigating the crash, for comment.

Six others – three from each boat – were injured in the crash and all were taken to the hospital with serious injuries

Plenty of tributes came in for the father-of-four, including from his business, Sharkey Mechanical Services, which wrote in a Facebook post: ‘His legacy of love, laughter, and friendship will never fade. We will continue to keep his memory alive through our work.

‘Chase’s unwavering passion for his craft left an indelible mark on everyone he met, and his work ethic was unmatched. We will miss him dearly, but we will continue to thrive in his honor and the legacy he has built.’

Friend, Jonathan Taylor wrote on Facebook: ‘Chase Sharkey was truly one of a kind. The first time I met him he made me feel like we had been friends since childhood. Chase was a true father and husband. I didn’t get to spend much time around his family but I knew they were his number one priority just by the conversations we had. Chase was also a staple in his church and his community.

Sharkey, a father of four, (pictured with his family) was found deceased by rescue crews 12 hours later

It is unclear if his wife, Shelly Verberne Sharkey (pictured together), was on the boat. One friend suggested she was, but further details have not been shared

‘I’m thankful I got to know him over the past 4 years and I think we can all learn from Chase and how he lived his 36 years on this earth.’

Another friend, Erin Foster, wrote: ‘To know him was to love him. Chase Sharkey was a great friend…One thing for certain is he loved his wife, his kids, his family, and everyone else’s babies also.’

Former Livingston Parish President Layton Ricks said in a statement: ‘He loved life. You knew where you stood with Chase and when you were a friend you were a friend. His word was his bond, and he was honest, sincere and trustworthy.

‘His friendship was genuine and I will be forever grateful for it. One of the things outside of his family, work and weightlifting we always talked about was being saved and he truly was. So I know without a shadow of doubt he would tell me: “Boss don’t worry about me big dog cause I’m sitting here talking with Jesus so I’m good.”

‘I will miss you my friend and forever be thankful for your friendship all these years. Love you buddy!’

Friends remembered Gustin as ‘so full of life and always ready for the next adventure’

A GoFundMe has been set up for the Gustin’s funeral services, which has raised more than $14,000 out of its $25,000 goal

An equal number of tributes poured in for the mother-of-two, with friend Lindsay Picou writing: ‘Thuy…I’m still in disbelief.

‘I knew I was going to love you from the moment I met you. You were so full of life and always ready for the next adventure. But even with all of that spirit, you led with nothing but heart. You loved everyone around you so deeply, and made sure they knew it.’

Another friend, Kendra M. Berthelot wrote on Facebook: ‘Carrying a heavy heart today. My beautiful girl, you will be so missed. I don’t even have the words to say. I love you. Rest easy, Angel.’

A GoFundMe has been set up for the Gustin’s funeral services, which has raised more than $14,000 out of its $25,000 goal.

A Meal Train has been set up for the Sharkey Family, with nearly $3,000 in donations and plenty of meals going to the surviving family.

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Louisiana

AI regulation clashing with business lobby in Louisiana

Published

11 hours ago

March 30, 2026

Press Room

AI regulation clashing with business lobby in Louisiana

Nolan Mckendry
| The Center Square

(The Center Square) − Louisiana lawmakers have filed more than 20 bills this session touching on artificial intelligence, but only a narrow slice of them has moved so far.

The clearest momentum has come on bills dealing with child exploitation. Senate Bill 42 by Sen. Rick Edmonds, R-Baton Rouge, which prohibits using artificial intelligence to create child sexual abuse materials, passed the Senate 36-0 and was sent to the House the next day.

Senate Bill 110 by Sen. Heather Cloud, R-Turkey Creek, bars using a child’s image to train an artificial intelligence model to produce child sexual abuse materials, also advanced out of the Senate and is now pending in the House Administration of Criminal Justice Committee. But the broader regulatory push has moved far more slowly.

Rep. Josh Carlson, R-Lafayette, told The Center Square the efforts have run into familiar resistance from business groups wary of state-by-state regulation.

“Anything that effects business they say is bad for business,” Carlson told The Center Square.

Carlson has a bill that would create a Louisiana AI Bill of Rights, restrict certain chatbot uses involving minors, create disclosure rules for bots and AI-generated advertising, and bar the state from contracting for AI products tied to foreign countries of concern. Carlson is still working to get his bill added to the Commerce committee’s agenda.Another bill that has managed to make progress is HB190 by Rep. Laurie Schlege, R-Metarie. It passed the House 98-0. Two days after, an op-ed submitted to The Center Square from Citizens for a New Louisiana charged the law as “one that threatens to stifle innovation, burden small businesses and startups.” The op-ed suggested amending the bill, but Schlegel hasn’t budged so far.

Senate Bill 246 by Sen. Jay Luneau, D-Alexandria, was scheduled for Senate floor debate Monday but was postponed twice, first to Tuesday and then to Wednesday. The delay followed Luneau’s promise to the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry that he would amend the bill after the group sent a memo warning it could create “unnecessary compliance burdens for businesses operating across the state.”

“AI systems are inherently interstate and global, making them better suited for a consistent federal framework rather than fragemented state oversight,” the memo continued. “SB246 risks placing Louisiana at a competitive disadvantage while duplicating efforts more appropriately handled by Congress.” The memo mentioned a December executive order from the Trump administration which instructed federal officials to identify “onerous” state AI laws and said states with such laws could be barred from receiving certain remaining BEAD broadband funds, to the maximum extent allowed by federal law.

Louisiana has $800 million in Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program funding that could be revoked. Responding to questions about concerns that his bill might violate that order, Edmonds told The Center Square, “I don’t see this as over regulation.” He said that, so far, he has heard no concerns with his bill.

Edmonds acknowledged concerns that overregulation could inhibit the use and development of AI, but said that his bill was specific and would not.

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Louisiana

Venture Global CP2 construction site in Cameron cleared after no threat found

Published

23 hours ago

March 29, 2026

Press Room

Venture Global CP2 construction site in Cameron cleared after no threat found

LAKE CHARLES, La. (KPLC) – The Venture Global CP2 construction site in Cameron has been cleared after a bomb threat was made Sunday, according to a spokesperson from Venture Global.

The bomb threat came in around noon on Sunday, according to officials. Louisiana State Police hazmat and bomb squads were called to investigate.

No shelter in place was deemed necessary and no roads were closed, according to the Cameron Parish Sheriff’s Office.

A Venture Global spokesperson released the following statement:

“Venture Global was made aware of a bomb threat at our CP2 site and immediately activated our established emergency response protocols. We are coordinating closely with state and local authorities as they investigate. The safety and security of our employees and the surrounding community remain our highest priority.”

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Louisiana

Louisiana Children’s Museum hosts fifth annual Mud Fest

Published

2 days ago

March 28, 2026

Press Room

Louisiana Children’s Museum hosts fifth annual Mud Fest

NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — For the fifth consecutive year, the Louisiana Children’s Museum hosted its annual environmental festival, Mud Fest, on Saturday, March 28.

From 10 a.m.-4 p.m., parents and their little ones had the opportunity to have fun in the sun and enjoy the “highlight” of the museum’s spring season.

This event was inspired by the iconic New Orleans festival culture which includes good food, live music and a nice, high-energy atmosphere. Mud Fest is tailored for the “youngest environmental stewards” to have fun and make all the mess they want with mud.

Due to the Crescent City being surrounded by wetland habitats, we interact with water daily in both our rural and urban communities.

The festival generates positive associations with our region and also builds critical thinking skills for future educators, engineers, fishermen and farmers. According to LCM, engaging with nature, water and plants “builds a child’s confidence and fosters a lifelong connection to the Earth.”

“As the Louisiana Children’s Museum celebrates its 40th anniversary, events like Mud Fest reflect our long-standing commitment to hands-on learning that sparks curiosity and connects children to the world around them,” LCM CEO Tifferney White said.

This year, Mud Fest had performances from young musicians of the School of Rock, the Louisiana Sunspots and more. There were also a storytelling stage and various family-friendly activities for visitors to engage in.

Mud Fest partnered with Pontchartrain Conservancy, STEM NOL, Whimscapes and Sugar Roots to put on the event.

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