August 2021

ZAM receives pandemic assistance grant from state

Zigler Art Museum (ZAM) will be receiving pandemic assistance from the state to help cover the cost of operating expenses at the museum.

ZAM was awarded $10,000 from Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities (LEH) through emergency relief funds from the Louisiana Culture Care Fund (LCCF).

LEH’s goal is to ensure access to the humanities for every resident throughout Louisiana’s 64 parishes, according to LEH’s website. The entity aims to offer broadened pathways to experiencing the humanities for people of every generation.

Herschel Walker begins Georgia GOP Senate bid amid unknowns

ATLANTA (AP) — Herschel Walker said he “can’t sit on the sidelines anymore” as he joined the Republican U.S. Senate race in Georgia. He’s running with some definite advantages — including his football fame and the support of former President Donald Trump — but also with a lot of unknowns in his effort to beat Democrat Sen. Raphael Warnock in 2022.

Application deadline nears for Louisiana Project Grant

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The Arts and Humanities Council of SWLA is offering a grant for arts and culture related nonprofits in Jeff Davis Parish.

According to Madison Miller Ebersole, Community Development Coordinator for the Arts and Humanities Council of SWLA, the Louisiana Project Grants (LPG) program is taking the place of the Decentralized Arts Funding (DAF) program.

GETTING CRAFTY

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Pat Forestier, Diana Turner and Wendy Comeaux, all of Jennings, were at the Hook Nook Crafting Club at the Jeff Davis Parish Library this week. The group meets every second and fourth Monday from 1-2:30 p.m. to work on their own projects, to help each other and compare crafting techniques. Coffee and tea are provided, however, supplies are not. Daily News photos by Amanda Gist

JDEC audit shows healthy finances

Jeff Davis Electric Cooperative, Inc. showed healthy finances and no instances of noncompliance in their financial records after a recent state audit.

The Louisiana Legislative Auditor’s Office (LLAO) released the results this week of an audit of the entity for the fiscal year ending Dec. 31, 2020.

The independent auditor’s report was completed by certified public accountant J. Aaron Cooper, of Jennings.

Wilma ‘Elaine’ Benoit

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The family of Elaine (as she was known to family and friends) mourn her passing from this life. She left this Earth while at Abbeville General Hospital, with her daughter by her side.

A memorial service will be held at a later date.

Her wishes were to be cremated. Arrangements were entrusted to Cypress Funeral Home of Maurice.

Elaine loved singing, playing poker, euchre and dominoes. She loved getting together with family.

US: 1,500 Americans may still await Kabul evacuation

WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday that as many as 1,500 Americans may be awaiting evacuation from Afghanistan, a figure that suggests the U.S. may accomplish its highest priority for the Kabul airlift — rescuing U.S. citizens — ahead of President Joe Biden’s Tuesday deadline.

Untold thousands of at-risk Afghans, however, still are struggling to get into the Kabul airport, while many thousands of other Afghans already have been flown to safety in 12 days of round-the-clock flights.

No La. emergency virus plan expected for fall election

BATON ROUGE (AP) — Louisiana Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin said Wednesday that he won’t be seeking to expand absentee-by-mail voting, increase the early voting period or enact a coronavirus emergency plan for the fall elections, amid the state’s latest COVID-19 surge.

Since the pandemic began, the state has offered more ways for people to absentee vote in a half-dozen elections — including last year’s presidential and congressional elections — and boosted the number of early voting days for some of those elections because of the risks of the coronavirus.

Report: Most federal election security money remains unspent

(AP) — Congress provided hundreds of millions of dollars to shore up the nation’s election system against cyberattacks and other threats, but roughly two-thirds of the money remained unspent just weeks before last year’s presidential election.

A recently released federal report says the states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories had spent a little more than $255 million of $805 million in election security grants through Sept. 30 of last year, the latest figures available.

Lucille Howard (Payne)

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Lucille Howard (Payne) Horn of Missouri City, Texas, died while in hospice care on Oct. 16, 2020. She was 86.

Memorial services were delayed due to the COVID pandemic.

A memorial service is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Sept. 4, 2021, at First Presbyterian Church in Welsh. All are welcome.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) https://fcclainc.org/donate. Condolences should be sent to Debs Payne, 2408 South Holland Court, Lakewood, CO 80227.