News

St. Landry Parish man arrested for felony theft

Inspectors with the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) Livestock Brand Commission (LBC) arrested Lester R. Johnson, Jr. of Opelousas for felony theft on Aug. 22.

My ‘David Cassidy’ haircut

Editor’s note: This column is an excerpt from Tom Purcell’s humorous memoir, “Misadventures of a 1970s Childhood,” that was previously distributed in 2020. Yahoo News reports that retro fashions from the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s have been making a comeback. That makes me grumpy.

Watching for the coffin in the tree

In December 1900 the Board of Control of the Louisiana State Penitentiary bought nearly 3,000 acres of land between New Iberia and Jeanerette to use as a prison farm. They named it, somewhat facetiously, Hope Plantation.

Does your school appreciate ‘Venmo moms’?

For decades, my mother (who was a veterinarian’s assistant during my childhood) gloated about her visit to my third-grade classroom. The dignified Mrs. Shelton accidentally transposed some numbers and Mom quickly corrected her for stating the normal human body temperature is 96-point-8.

Historic construction projects set to transform UL Lafayette

The University of Louisiana at Lafayette is “managing more construction projects than at any time since before World War II,” its president said. The announcement from Dr. Joseph Savoie came Aug.

Landry nominates longtime parole manager to run states’s prisons

Gov. Jeff Landry has picked a longtime acquaintance with nearly 30 years of experience working in probation and parole services to run the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, which includes the state prison system.

School district reorganization in the works

A little over a year into this tenure as superintendent, Milton Batiste III won committee approval for an administrative reorganization that adds a second assistant superintendent and other changes.

Voter registration drive begins Thursday

A series of voter registration drives in celebration of Voter Registration Week and in preparation for the upcoming fall election cycle began Thursday in Eunice, according to Byron Stelly, parish registrar of voters.

New Bengal Baseball Stadium promises to transform campus

A transformation of the LSUE campus is underway with the construction of a baseball stadium born out of the athletic program’s success. Jeff Willis, LSUE athletic director and head baseball coach, said the stadium will have endless possibilities. “This will be more than a baseball field.

Simple steps to prepare for disasters

September marks National Preparedness Month, serving as a reminder that natural disasters can strike at any moment. Homeowners can take many simple steps to ensure they are ready for potential emergencies and natural disasters.