March 2018

Mail mix-up delays utility bills

WELSH – Residents wondering why their utility bills haven’t appeared in their mailboxes are not alone. Welsh town officials say that though originally shipped to residents on time, the post office is responsible for losing some 2,000 utility bills.

“It’s been a hassle,” said Mayor Carolyn Louviere.

The town of Welsh contracts with utility providers of electric, water and garbage to service the needs of its residents. All utility bills are paid directly to the town.

Early voting starts tomorrow

Early voting to determine the next Dist. 10 representative for the Jeff Davis Parish School Board begins Saturday, March 10. Interim rep Vickie Buller and James Edward Tarver are the only two candidates on the ballot. Voters wanting to cast early ballots may do so at the parish registrar of voters office at 302 N. Cutting Avenue in Jennings from 8:30 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Saturday, March 10, and Monday, March 12, through Saturday, March 17. The office will be closed on Sunday, March 11. A valid picture ID is required to vote. The registrar’s office can be contacted at (337) 824-0834.

Whistle lives on

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The Steamer Trunk in Jennings will host a book signing by children’s author Patsy Moore from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. March 18. The book entitled “Whistle” is a fictional adventure story about a real-life horse once owned by Moore. The retired elementary school teacher and avid horse rider from the Lake Charles area said she wanted Whistle’s memory to live on in the mind’s of children.

LA board meeting to focus on police, audit

Lake Arthur held its monthly board of aldermen meeting Wednesday evening, with the focus falling primarily on law enforcement and the town’s accounts.

Notable items on the agenda were the hiring and firing of positions within the police department, as well as a summary of a recent town audit.

Along with the termination of Assistant Chief of Police Keith Broussard, three other part-time officers were hired or promoted. Coy Guidry and Joseph Marcantel were hired as full-time patrolman while Cru Delcambre was hired as a part-time auxiliary patrolman.

Refuge to allow fishing through Oct. 15

A prime fishing location will soon be open to the public once more.

Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge will begin allowing boat and bank fishing on Thursday, March 15 and continue to allow fishing through Monday, October 15.

Sean Kinney, Biologist Manager for Inland Fisheries, said this time of the year is eagerly anticipated by fishermen. People have been known to take their children out of school or use vacation days when it comes to fishing at the refuge on opening day, he said.

It’s past time to celebrate contributions of women

Many of us may not have realized it, but March is Women’s History Month, and Thursday marked the celebration of International Women’s Day.

Though not as popular as Christmas or even Black History Month, there has never been a time in our country during which celebrating women has been more important.

In the time of the exploits of men like Harvey Weinstein, and sometimes our own president we are finally discovering as a people how women in our country are actually treated.

If recent news is any indication; it hasn’t been great.

To pity or punish pit bulls?

WHEELIN’ AND DILLON

There used to be an ordinance against pit bulls in Welsh which has been changed to what is now a “vicious dog” law. At the last meeting the issue was brought back up when a concerned resident spoke up about her fear of being attacked while simply walking down her street. She brought up the fact that the current ordinance is too vague in its “vicious dog” stance in that there are not many other types of vicious dogs in the area.

Spring fever and baseball

It’s springtime, my favorite time of year. The weather warms up without a lot of humidity. Flowers bloom at their very best. It’s the season of my birthday. If you live in Louisiana, we witness music festivals galore, including Mardi Gras, JazzFest and a host of local harmonic gatherings of local bands all over the state. And one more springtime reminder. It’s the beginning of baseball season.

Northeast tries to dig out, power up after latest storm

By DAVE COLLINS and MICHAEL MELIA, Associated Press

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Residents in the Northeast dug out from as much as 2 feet of wet, heavy snow Thursday, while utilities dealt with downed trees and electric lines that snarled traffic and left hundreds of thousands without power after two strong nor’easters in less than a week — all with possibility of another storm in the wings.

With many schools closed for a second consecutive day Thursday, forecasters tracked the possibility of yet another lateseason snowstorm to run up the coast early next week.

Trump to meet with video game execs and critics

WASHINGTON (AP) — While decades of research have failed to find a link between gun violence and graphic depictions of violence in movies and video games, President Donald Trump has bemoaned the prevalence of violent images readily available to kids such as his 11-year-old son.

As the president searches for ways to respond to last month’s Florida school shooting, he was wading into this debate by bringing together representatives of the video game industry and some of their most vocal critics for a discussion Thursday at the White House.