January 2020

Letters to e the ditor

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• Letters to the Editor must be signed and should include writer’s address and telephone number for verification.

• Jennings Daily News reserves the right to edit and deny publication of any letter.

• Letters to the Editor should address community issues and events and not personal vendettas against individuals or businesses.

• Individual opinions appearing in Letters to the Editor do not necessarily reflect the position of Jennings Daily News.

We all need the little guys

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Afew years ago in an episode of his HBO series “Last Week Tonight,” John Oliver presented a nearly 20-minute segment on journalism, particularly the importance of hometown newspapers.

As someone who works at a small newspaper and has often fielded the question, “Aren’t you worried digital media will put you out of business?” the acerbic commentator’s piece had me cheering - and agreeing.

Gentry named director of AgCenter Central Research Station

BATON ROUGE — The LSU AgCenter has named Glen Gentry director of its Central Research Station in Baton Rouge.

Gentry, an LSU graduate and animal scientist who has been with the AgCenter for 28 years, was appointed to the position Jan. 1. He replaces Pat Bollich, who is retiring.

Gentry will continue to serve as coordinator of the AgCenter Bob R. Jones-Idlewild Research Station in Clinton, a role he has held for the past several years.

The benefits of organic foods

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Modern grocery stores are unlike the ones many of today’s adults encountered when they were children. Grocery stores are not only bigger today than they were years ago, but they’re also stocked with items that weren’t available until relatively recently.

You can have a colorful landscape, even in winter

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There was a time in my life when I thought a colorful winter garden did not exist. I was so wrong. It took me years to figure this out. I only had to look around me. There’s still color out there.

It doesn’t take a person with a “green thumb.” Those people don’t exist. Every great gardener has killed countless plants. That’s how they cultivated the art of gardening. It can be a costly hobby, but the return is priceless. And those who do it best do it with love and little effort.

NEW ORLEANS UNIVERSITY SUSPENDING ATHLETICS TO SAVE MONEY

BATON ROUGE (AP) — Southern University at New Orleans will suspend all of its athletics programs at the end of the academic year, trying to save money and dig itself out of years of financial problems.

The Southern University Board of Supervisors approved the move Friday without objection, at the request of SUNO Interim Chancellor James Ammons.

“This is one of the most difficult decisions I’ve made as an administrator,” Ammons said.

VA cemetery nears completion

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After months of work and delays due to weather conditions, the newly constructed cemetery at the Southwest Louisiana Veterans Home (SWLVH) will soon be ready for interments. The Southwest Louisiana Veterans Cemetery (SWLVC) will be the fifth and final veteran’s cemetery managed by the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs (LDVA).

“Things are going very well,” said LDVA Secretary Joey Strickland. “Work crews are completing the building and construction and adding the final touches. They are now working on cleaning the grounds and beautifying things.”

She’s here!

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A Jennings family started off the New Year by celebrating the arrival of their fifth child.

Jennings Daily News’ 2020 New Year’s Baby, Stratton Daisy Hebert, entered the world at 10:34 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 3. at Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s and Children’s Hospital. She was welcomed by her mother and father, Cory and Vanessa Hebert.

“We were so excited when we found out we won,” Vanessa said. “We did not expect this at all.”

Vanessa said they waited to find out the sex of the baby, but were pretty certain she would be a beautiful baby girl.

Six months later:

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Jeff Davis Sheriff’s Office (JDSO) officials recently sat down with the Jennings Daily News to discuss how things were going six months after the grand opening of the new jail facility.

Jail Warden Dustin Locke says the facility is nearing capacity.

After being open for six months, the new jail had 172 inmates as of Monday, Jan. 6, Locke said.

“If every bed is full, capacity is 180 because 20 of those cells are isolation cells or cells that can only be used for certain inmates,” he said.