March 2018

Jennings woman arrested in connection with child’s shooting

A Jennings woman was arrested Thursday in connection with the accidental shooting of a 2-year-old boy March 24. Summer Chiasson, 33, of Jennings was arrested and charged with felony cruelty to juveniles, Jeff Davis Parish Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Chris Ivey said. Detectives began their investigation March 24 after a two-year-old boy was shot in the abdomen by a four-year-old in a Jennings apartment. During their investigation detectives found that a semi-automatic pistol was left unattended and unsecured in the home where four children under the age of five live, Ivey said.

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Ethel Leger Mayfield

The family of Ethel Leger Mayfield, 93, of Jennings regretfully announce her passing from this life on Wednesday March 28, 2018.

Funeral services to honor Ethel’s life will be held at Matthews and Son Funeral Home Chapel in Jennings on Monday, April 2, 2018, at 11 a.m., with Father Charles McMillin officiating.

Visitation will be held at the funeral home beginning on Sunday, April 1, from 5-7 p.m., with a rosary recited at 6 p.m. The family requests that visitation resume on Monday, April 2, from 8 a.m. until the time of her service.

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JUDGE: RETURN CHINESE DRYWALL CASES TO ORIGINAL STATES

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The federal judge supervising all Chinese drywall cases says that, after nine years, it’s time to return thousands of cases for trial in the federal courts where they were filed.

The panel that put Judge Eldon Fallon in charge in 2009 said the first 1,700 will return to Florida if no objections were filed by Thursday. However, at least three were filed Thursday.

Fallon told the panel March 12 that he wants to transfer all remaining cases.

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DA lists recent convictions

District Attorney Michael Cassidy announced the following convictions recently obtained during the criminal petit jury session on March 19 in the 31st Judicial District Courto

• Anthony Bruner of Lake Charles pled guilty to failure to register as a sex offender. The court sentenced the defendant to serve two years at hard labor with the Department of Corrections. The defendant is given credit for time previously served.

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ENCORE?

HOUSTON (AP) — Not long after the Houston Astros won the World Series, third baseman Alex Bregman got another big reason to smile.

Justin Verlander wasn’t simply a late-season rental. He was under contract with the team for two more seasons. Bregman’s reaction, caught on a teammate’s Instagram Live account, was one of pure joy, filled with shrieks and yelling.

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Doucet, Fontenot to wed

Annoys Lauren Doucet of Hathaway and Ethan James Charles Fontenot of Welsh announce their plans to wed in a double-ring ceremony officiated by Father McMillin at 6 p.m. on April 7, 2018, at Our Lady of Help of Christians in Jennings. A reception will immediately follow at Grand Marais Ballroom.

The bride-elect is the daughter of Samuel and Rebecca Doucet of Hathaway. She is the granddaughter of the late Herbert and Audrey Doucet of Jennings and the late Alfred and Wilma Ross of Dallas, Texas.

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Marilyn Denise ‘M.D.’ Davis

Funeral services for Marilyn Denise “M.D.” Davis were held at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 31, 2018, in New Jerusalem Baptist Church in Welsh.

Visitation was held from 9-11 a.m. Saturday, March 31, in the church.

Burial was in Eastridge Cemetery in Welsh under the direction of Fondel Memorial Chapel.

Marilyn Denise “M.D.” Davis was born on Dec. 2, 1956, in Monroe to the late Mary Louise Pitre and the late Arnold Davis. She attended Bethune High School until desegregation, then she transferred to Welsh High School, where she graduated in 1974.

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Norman Alden Briggs

Norman Alden Briggs, age 92 and a lifelong resident of Jennings, passed away peacefully on March 25, 2018, in American Legion Hospital after battling congestive heart failure.

Born Nov. 24, 1925, to L.W. and Cecile Matherne Briggs, he graduated from Jennings High and entered the Army at age 18.

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State’s hunting and fishing license overhaul wins support

BATON ROUGE (AP) — An overhaul of Louisiana’s recreational hunting and fishing licensing system that would pull more money out of some people’s pockets edged forward Wednesday in the Legislature.

With a 12-3 vote, the House natural resources committee sent the 40-page bill to the House floor for debate.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is pushing the licensing redesign as a regulatory streamlining initiative. The 117 recreational hunting and fishing licenses currently offered would drop to 39.