August 2019

DOTD announces La. 395 lane closures

For the next month several miles of La. 395 will see lane closures while state crews perform utility work.

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) recently announced intermittent lane closures from milepost 16 to milepost 19 on La. 395 in Jennings.

The closures will take place starting this week and continue through Friday, Sept. 20 with weather permitting. The lane closures can take place from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day, according to DOTD Public Information Officer Tammy York.

Magnet Monday

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Local youth got the chance to handcraft colorful magnets at the Lake Arthur Library for Magnet Monday.

Still Standing

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Built in 1908, the Jennings Carnegie Public Library is the oldest library in the State of Louisiana. It houses many historic references and items from the earliest times of the city.

Director Harriet Shultz has been employed by the library since 2004 and she said both the old and the new can be found co-existing at the Carnegie.

Town of Iota raising funds for first town park

IOTA - Residents of Iota are looking to provide children a safe place to enjoy their free time. A fundraising event has been organized to raise money to build a town park. On Saturday, Sept. 28, the Iota Fall Fest is set to begin at 2 p.m. at the Iota Veterans Memorial Pavilion.

“I’ve lived here for 18 years now and there has never been a park for the kids,” said event organizer Carrie Leckelt. “We have some plans in the works. Now we just need to raise some money for the construction and equipment.”

Leckelt said a plot of land has already been secured for the park.

PJ to decide status of Thornwell event

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The Jeff Davis Police Jury is expected to reach a decision this week on a request to declare the Thornwell Harvest Street Dance a festival.

In June, organizers approached the police jury looking to obtain festival status saying it would help them obtain local and state grants and attract more visitors into the parish.

At the time, Police Jury President Donald Woods asked that the police jurors have more time to research issues such as liability insurance before making a decision.

Hair angel

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MIDWEEK MUDDLE

When our friend called, she was dashing to her house for a change of clothes and preparing to follow an ambulance carrying her husband to a nearby hospital.

There was a collective groan: “Oh noooo….”

We have all endured family emergencies, and we know that in the throes of heartache and illness, normal routines become difficult and logic is illusive.

We assured herbecause we believed it to be true—that the medical facility would simply keep her husband overnight to adjust his medicine and monitor his blood pressure.

Medicaid expansion bringing care to needy

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Thanks to our state accepting the Medicaid expansion, more residents have access to vital and necessary care when they need it.

Medicaid expansion began July 1, 2016, with Louisiana becoming the first Deep South state to participate. More than 440,000 working poor and non-elderly adults signed up for the governmentfinanced coverage within the first budget year and enrollment exceeded 500,000 in January of this year.

Baton Rouge eighth grader gunned down, causes call for change

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — An 8th grader who just made the football team at his Louisiana middle school has been shot to death.

His aunt, Tammy Linson, tells The Advocate that 14-year-old Brionne “BG” Linson’s dreams of becoming a police officer were stopped short Friday when he was killed in Baton Rouge.

“He wanted to be a police officer because he liked helping people,” she said. “Now he can’t be nothing.”

Call before you dig

Whether you are planning to do it yourself or hire a professional, smart digging means calling 811 before each job.

Louisiana 811 is a free service that allows excavators to notify many operators of underground utilities with a single toll-free call.

Calling before you dig saves money for everyone by reducing the possibility of damage, eliminating construction delays and contributing to public safety.

Ultra-processed foods should be treats only

Dear Doctor: Is it true that eating ultra-processed foods raises your risk of cancer? I really don’t want to give up my comfort foods, like a handful of potato chips or an order of chicken nuggets every few weeks.