March 2018

Easing pressure on levees, raising environmental worries

NORCO, La. (AP) — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began opening part of a 1930s flood control structure northwest of New Orleans on Thursday to divert water from a rising Mississippi River into nearby Lake Pontchartrain, a move that eases pressure on the city’s levees but raises environmental concerns about the lake and the Gulf of Mexico.

Fla. Gov. Scott mum on if he’ll sign gun-control bill

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Three weeks after the fatal Parkland high school shooting, Florida Gov. Rick Scott faces a gun-control bill that falls short of what he and survivors of the massacre demanded, and he hasn’t said whether he’ll sign into law the legislation that challenges National Rifle Association orthodoxy.

“I’m going to take the time and I’m going to read the bill and I’m going to talk to families,” Scott said.

Kathleen Habetz Compton

Article Image Alt Text

Kathleen Habetz Compton lost her battle with leukemia on March 6, 2018.

She was born Sept. 7, 1945, to parents Pirmin Hubert and Frances Hensgens Habetz in Rayne.

She graduated from Fenton High School, where she was a star basketball player. Kathleen married Cecil Compton in 1965. She was a seamstress for many friends and family. She worked at Jeff Davis Waterwork District No. 8 for 22 years and was awarded Secretary of the Year in 2006.

Uncertainty persists as Trump readies tariff plan rollout

WASHINGTON (AP) — After a week of hints and uncertainty, President Donald Trump is preparing to announce tariffs on imported steel and aluminum that would offer temporary exemptions to Canada and Mexico, a shift that could soften the blow amid threats of retaliation by trading partners. Opponents of the tariffs spent Thursday engaged in last-minute lobbying to blunt the impact.

Ag officials seek help solving cattle deaths

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry and the St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office are seeking the public’s help in finding whoever’s responsible for the recent deaths of cow and three calves.

On March 3, agriculture inspectors received a complaint from a rancher in reference to cattle killed on the levee near Port Barre. The animals were found dead in the pasture portion of the levee. Inspectors say it appears the cattle were run over by a truck.

Teen pleads guilty in shooting at undercover state troopers

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A Louisiana prosecutor says a 17-year-old has pleaded guilty as an adult to attempted murder of three undercover state troopers in December 2015. Orleans Parish District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro says Quincy Shaw pleaded guilty to three counts in exchange for a 25-year prison sentence. Conviction would have carried 10 to 50 years on each count, according to a news release from Cannizzaro.

The troopers had been in an unmarked car when they spotted a stolen pickup truck, according to the release.

Women strike, protest as the world marks International Women’s Day

MADRID (AP) — Women across Europe and Asia shouted their demands for equality, respect and empowerment Thursday to mark International Women’s Day, with protesters in Spain launching a 24-hour strike and crowds of demonstrators filling the streets of Manila, Seoul and New Delhi.

Spanish women were staging dozens of protests across the country against the wage gap and gender violence. In Barcelona, protesters disrupting traffic into the city center were pushed back by riot police.

Lobbyists get ethics waivers to work for Trump

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump and his appointees have stocked federal agencies with ex-lobbyists and corporate lawyers who now help regulate the very industries from which they previously collected paychecks, despite promising as a candidate to drain the swamp in Washington.

A week after his January 2017 inauguration, Trump signed an executive order that bars former lobbyists, lawyers and others from participating in any matter they lobbied or otherwise worked on for private clients within two years before going to work for the government.

2018 DISTRICT 6-2A ALL-DISTRICT BASKETBALL TEAM

Article Image Alt Text

First Team

Jordan Cordova Kinder Sr. 15 RPG 13 RPG

Torrell Levias Lake Arthur So. 16 PPG 16 RPG

Rae’veon Jones Lake Arthur Jr. 15 PPG 8 RPG

Bailey Leleux Notre Dame Sr. 14 PPG 5 Ast

Jamal Byers Ville Platte So. 10 PPG 8 Ast

Most Valuable Player: Torrell Levias, Lake Arthur

Coach of the Year: Freddie Thomassee, Lake Arthur

 

Second Team

Daylon Charles Lake Arthur So.

Tory Levias Lake Arthur Jr.

David Kelly Welsh Sr.

Thomas Scruggs Welsh So.

J.T. Swacker Notre Dame Sr.

Tennis Dogs split with Notre Dame Pioneers

Article Image Alt Text

The Jennings High School boys’ and girls’ tennis teams split matches with the Notre Dame Pioneers on Tuesday. The Lady Dogs earned a 4-3 win over the Lady Pios, while the Dogs fell by a final of 3-2 to Notre Dame. JHS Head Coach Jared Lavergne explained he was happy with his club’s performance against a tough Notre Dame side.

“They are always such a very good team and are also in our region so I was glad to get a look at them now,” said Lavergne. “Overall, I was extremely pleased with how we played as a whole and showed some tenacity.”