News

Rain, sleet and snow didn’t stop the azalea show

The azaleas are showing off right now, putting on their annual spring spectacular despite the recent sleet, snow and extended freezing temperatures across the state. I got a few frantic phone calls about whether delicate azalea buds would be damaged. Luckily, these flowers are cold hardy.

Stimulus helping fill School Board’s treasury

The St. Landry Parish School Board’s treasury is flush with local tax revenue and federal funds from COVID recovery and possible stimulus money to come. Sales tax revenue is “still coming in strong,” said Tressa Miller, finance director, at a meeting of the Board’s Finance Committee on Monday.

New DA Pitre says he is about to clear thousands of old cases

Thousands of backlogged cases are about to be dismissed in St. Landry Parish because the time has run out to prosecute them, District Attorney Chad Pitre said at a Eunice Rotary Club meeting. There were 6,500 to 6,800 felony cases backlogged and about thousand new cases when he took office, he said.

St. Landry Parish Sheriff's Office arrests

The following are arrests reported by the St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office. March 25 John Bennett Ortego, 38, 200 block of Wayne Road, Eunice. Littering, possession of Schedule I CDS, possession of drug paraphernalia. Arrested by Louisiana State Police.

Cleco donates $20,000 for power lineman, electrical scholarships at SLCC

Cleco made a $20,000 donation to South Louisiana Community College (SLCC) to establish an endowed scholarship for the college’s power lineman and electrical programs. The Cleco endowed scholarship will be used to recruit, retain and train students enrolled in these training programs.

State’s jobless rate is 7.6%, unchanged

The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in February of 7.6% remained unchanged from January and is the lowest rate since the Covid-19 pandemic began.

On Monday, all Louisianans 16 or older will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine

All Louisianans 16 years old or older will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine beginning Monday following news from the federal government that Louisiana’s allocation of vaccine doses will significantly increase next week, Gov. John Bel Edwards announced.

Eunice Police radio dispatch logs

The following are excerpts from the Eunice Police Department radio dispatch logs. March 25 00:01 Caller in the 800 block of Duck advised of a suspicious person with a flashlight in his garage. 01:50 Wreck reported at entrance of Circle K. Report of a pothole in the spot.

Eunice Police arrests

The following are arrests by Eunice Police. March 25 Mikeo Hollier, 30, 1400 block of West Vine, Eunice. Probation violation/hold. Keshawn Guillory, 20, 200 block of South Beulah Street, Eunice.

Diversion project may help rebuild state’s landmass

LSU Manship School News Service Thousands of years ago, the Mississippi River Delta was formed from sediment deposited from the river. Layers upon layers of sand, silt and clay make up the land that millions of people live and work on today.