March 2020

Virus scrambles Democratic contest as three states vote

WASHINGTON (AP) — The new coronavirus hampered efforts by voters to get to the polls in some states on Tuesday as the global pandemic scrambled the Democratic presidential contest.

Problems popped up across Florida, which has the most delegates up for grabs among the states voting on Tuesday. In Okaloosa County on the Panhandle, two dozen poll workers dropped out, leaving Elections Supervisor Paul Lux’s staff scrambling to train replacements.

Polling sites, Lux said, opened with a “skeleton crew.”

“We are at the honest end of the rope,” Lux said.

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La. second worst at hiring veterans

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A new study found that Louisiana is the second worst state for hiring veterans.

During the Great Recession, the unemployment rate for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans hovered between 13-15 percent. Today, overall veteran unemployment in the U.S. is down to 2.8 percent, however, helping vets reenter society with good jobs remains critical.

InMyArea.com today recently released a study on the best and worst states for hiring veterans and Louisiana ranked 49th in the nation.

Alpha Kappa honors top female graduates

The mission of Delta Kappa Gamma Society International is to promote professional and personal growth of women educators and excellence in education.

The Alpha Kappa Chapter celebrated its annual service project, recognizing academic excellence in Jeff Davis Parish.

For the past 25 years, the Alpha Kappa Chapter has coordinated a recognition program to honor the top girl graduates with the highest GPA in their respective graduating class in parish schools.

State seeking help to identify historic bridges in JDP

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The state is looking for help identifying historic bridges in Jeff Davis Parish.

Several years ago, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD), in coordination with the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), commissioned a statewide study of historic bridges that resulted in development of processes to manage and preserve these valued resources.

Luck of the Irish

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Residents of the Southwest Louisiana Veterans Home were treated to a St. Patrick’s Day celebration Tuesday morning.

 

COA still offering services at this time

Many senior citizens depend on services provided by the local Council on Aging (COA). Like many other facilities across the country, the COA has been closed under direct orders from the governor.

“The governor’s office has ordered all COA meal sites, offices and senior centers to be closed,” said Director Helen Langley. “Our staff will still be on hand to answer phone calls but no clients will be allowed to enter.”

Langley said that although the doors are closed, they will still be available to assist some residents.

Covid-19 closures reported around parish

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Statewide emergency declarations are impacting local offices and businesses, with closures, shorter hours and restrictions in place. This includes a parish-wide curfew that is in place from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. until further notice.

The following is a list of current office closures within Jeff Davis Parish as of press time Tuesday:

• 31st Judicial District Court

Jennings man pleads not guilty

A Jennings man pled not guilty Monday to second-degree murder in the 31st Judicial District Court.

On March 3, the grand jury returned a true bill of indictment against Jayden Grant Theunissen, 19, of Welsh, for the murder of Dakota Chaisson, 22, of Jennings, according to Jeff Davis District Attorney Michael Cassidy.

Theunissen pled not guilty Monday through a video conferencing system at the jail.

NHL pushes back timeline on potential resumption of season

(AP) - The NHL is pushing back the possibility of resuming its season for several weeks, if not a month Or more.