September 2018

‘I just did what I needed to do’

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DEPUTY’S ACTIONS SAVE MAN’S LIFE

A deputy with the Jeff Davis Parish Sheriff’s Office (JDSO) recently responded to a call, saving a man’s life.

On Friday morning, August 31, Assistant Shift Supervisor Deputy Brant Duplechain of Hathaway was manning the sheriff’s office Lacassine substation when a call came in regarding an auger-related injury at a nearby rice dryer. Dispatchers reported the incident was just less than two miles from where Duplechain was located.

Jeff Davis Parish Sheriff’s Office moves to new location

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After over five decades in the courthouse, the majority of the Jeff Davis Parish Sheriff’s Office (JDSO) operations are in the final stages of moving to a new location.

Treasurer: Louisiana has $300M-plus surplus from last year

BATON ROUGE (AP) — Louisiana will have a surplus topping $300 million from the last budget year when the final numbers are settled next month, the state’s treasurer said Friday.

Treasurer John Schroder said the state recently closed the books on the 2017-18 budget year that ended June 30 with a cash balance exceeding $400 million, although the figure has to be audited and double-checked.

Everyone wants answers: Mass., feds hunt for gas blast cause

LAWRENCE, Mass. (AP) — Investigators worked Friday to pinpoint the cause of a series of fiery natural gas explosions that killed a teen driver in his car just hours after he got his license, injured at least 25 others and left dozens of homes in smoldering ruins.

Authorities said an estimated 8,000 people were displaced at the height of Thursday’s post-explosion chaos in three towns north of Boston that were rocked by the disaster. Most were still waiting, shaken and exhausted, to be allowed to return to their homes.

Hybrids and GMO seeds

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GET GROWING

Home gardeners typically get along very well without delving too deeply into the science of horticulture. Genetics can be a particularly challenging area of science related to gardening.

Rice Festival honors Faulk as Junior Farmer of the Year

CROWLEY – The 82nd International Rice Festival will recognize Benjamin Joseph Faulk as the 2018 Junior Farmer of the Year. Benjamin is the 19-year-old son of Thomas and Gretchen Leonards Faulk. He has four sisters: Jennifer Kidder (Shiloh), Andrea Guidry (Chris), Hannah Katira (Kris) and Anne Catherine. His brothers are Luke and Jack. His nephews and niece are Matthew, Joseph, Raj and Olive. Benjamin is the grandson of Leonard L. “Buck” Leonards and the late Bobbie Link Leonards and the late Chester Faulk and Dolores Walton Faulk McKellar, all of Crowley.

Saints’ Drew Brees braces for improving Browns

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Drew Brees is in his 13th year playing for the Saints — and it’s been about that long since he’s beaten the Cleveland Browns.

Brees’ first game with New Orleans was a victory at Cleveland in 2006. The Browns have won the past two meetings in 2010 and 2014.

“Man, they’ve been tough games against these guys,” Brees recalled this week as he prepared for his latest clash with Cleveland on Sunday.

Dogs pound Dragons 42-21 for first win

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DERIDDER – The Jennings Bulldogs emphatically got in the win column Friday night with a 42-21 thrashing of the DeRidder Dragons. The Dogs used a prolific offense and a stifling defensive effort to thwart off a previously undefeated Dragons’ squad. Jennings moved to 1-2 with the victory.

Iota tops Tigers 42-21 with second-half rally

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The Lake Arthur Tigers and Iota Bulldogs clashed down in Lake Arthur in what many considered to be the top game in SWLA. The game lived up to the hype, with the Tigers and Bulldogs tied at 21 at the half.

In the second half though, the Bulldogs managed to wear down the Tigers and come away with the win 42-21.

US stocks edge higher, led by banks and smaller companies

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks are slightly higher Friday as banks climb but retailers and big-dividend stocks slide. The Federal Reserve said production of cars and energy jumped in August.

Interest rates are climbing as investors expect continued economic growth and further interest rate increases. Small companies are advancing. However, monthly retail sales were weaker than analysts expected.