News

LA. TO RECEIVE $1.2B IN FEDERAL FLOODCONTROL FUNDS

BATON ROUGE (AP) — Louisiana is set to receive $1.2 billion in grant funding from the federal government for flood-control and prevention projects.

Gov. John Bel Edwards and U.S. Rep. Garret Graves announced the funding Thursday.

The Advocate reports that it is unclear which projects are due to receive the funds. In a statement, Edwards said state officials have not yet received full details from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

POLICE: FELON HAD 17 GUNS, THOUSANDS OF AMMO ROUNDS IN HOME

PONCHATOULA (AP) — Authorities say they found 17 firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition inside the home of a convicted felon who is banned from possessing firearms.

Senior State Trooper Dustin Dwight said in a news release Thursday that 61-yearold Edward Sutter of Ponchatoula has previously been convicted of felony domestic abuse battery.

Dwight says authorities executed a search warrant at Sutter’s home on Tuesday and found seven rifles, eight pistols and two shotguns. Dwight says they also found scopes and suppressors.

Jennnings wins cleanest City Contest

Article Image Alt Text

Jennings has won the preliminary rounds of the Louisiana Garden Club Federation’s Cleanest City Contest. Judging for the contest in Jennings was held Thursday and the city was notified Friday that it would move on to the statewide contest.

The Town of Elton also entered the contest and was judged Wednesday, but its results have not yet been tabulated, said Mayor Tony Laughlin.

Jennings Garden Club sponsored the city in its contest bid. The club’s president, Mari Cassidy, said she was proud of the work volunteers and Mayor Henry Guinn did to get the city ready.

Lacassine man arrested after 12-hour standoff

Article Image Alt Text

A Lacassine man who barricaded himself in the attic of his home after authorities attempted to arrest him on outstanding warrants was arrested after a nearly 12-hour standoff.

Joshua Daigle, 40, of Lacassine was arrested and charged with several outstanding warrants, including one from Jeff Davis Parish for unauthorized use of a debit or credit card.

JDP to become part of Geographic Information System

Jeff Davis Parish Police Jurors were shown the benefits of an online Geographic Information System (GIS) during this week’s meeting.

Katherine Fenstermaker, business development consultant for C.H. Fenstermaker and Associates, LLC, gave the presentation on the system, of which Jeff Davis Parish will soon become a part.

The presentation was a functionality overview of the web viewer for a map of Jeff Davis Parish, which demonstrated different ways the parish stakeholders can view parcels, land which can be owned.

Autism Awareness Cook-Off set for May 5

West Behavioral will host its second annual Cookin’ Up Autism Awareness Cook-Off and 5K on May 5.

Designed to raise awareness of autism, the event will feature a cook-off of anything that can be served over rice, a 5K run or walk, live auction and activities for children, said West Behavioral Founder and Director Lindy West.

Experts discuss water issues at conference

BATON ROUGE — Water experts from the LSU AgCenter and other institutions across the South presented their latest research findings at the 12th annual Louisiana Water Conference, which was held on the LSU campus March 27 to 28.

Topics ranged from freshwater flow impacts to estuaries to voluntary programs addressing nonpoint source pollution.

Doug Carlson, assistant professor of research with the Louisiana Geological Survey, said this annual meeting is designed to present and deliver water information.

Cattle Field Day set for April 26

HOMER — The sixth annual Northwest Beef and Forage Field Day will be held on April 26 at the LSU AgCenter Hill Farm Research Station in Homer. The event will begin at 8:30 a.m. and end at 2 p.m. Lunch will be provided. AgCenter research and extension personnel will discuss economics, calving, bull selection, cover crops, forages and pasture weeds. A hay baling demonstration will take place after lunch. Field day attendance will qualify for Louisiana Master Farmer Program Phase 2 credits and veterinarian continuing education credits.

Shrimp season opens in portion of offshore waters

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) announced that shrimp season reopened at 6 a.m. on April 2, 2018, in a portion of state outside waters seaward of Terrebonne Parish.

The area extends from the inside/outside shrimp line seaward to the 3-mile line, from the northwest shore of Caillou Boca at -90 degrees 50 minutes 27 seconds west longitude westward to the eastern shore of the Atchafalaya River Ship Channel at Eugene Island as delineated by the red buoy line.

LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE

Article Image Alt Text

Get a handle on

I’m often asked about low-maintenance landscaping. After a brief conversation, I usually get the feeling that what the person is actually looking for is a no-maintenance landscape. Unfortunately, if you are going to have a landscape with trees, a lawn, shrubs and flowers, maintenance is going to be involved.