Fri, 08/21/2026 - 5:21am
Loggin' some rays
News
As the Jeff Davis Parish Sanitary Landfill Commission prepares for a new landfill operations contract next year, commissioners spent much of their monthly meeting refining communication procedures, clarifying staff responsibilities and discussing oversight practices intended to guide the commission through the transition.
— More than 100,000 Louisiana residents who may qualify for the state’s Women, Infants and Children program are not enrolled, a gap state health officials are now trying to close through expanded outreach and easier access to benefits.
LAKE ARTHUR — Despite a public post announcing his resignation, Lake Arthur Councilman Duke Broussard will continue serving on the council and will also remain on the November municipal election ballot.
— The United States government passed a sobering milestone Wednesday as the national debt topped $40 trillion, up from $39 trillion only five months ago. Government spending watchdogs are calling the amount “staggering,” noting that the debt has doubled over the past decade alone and is now larger than the entire U.S.
— Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry has signed a pair of executive orders that fast-track environmental permitting for critical minerals and rare earth production as part of an effort to attract heavy industries to the state.
Community
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Tropical plants feel right at home in the hot, humid conditions we encounter during Louisiana summers. Native to regions near the equator, these plants combine the ability to endure our climate with bold foliage and colorful blooms.
Adults can nurture creativity by weaving simple, creative moments into daily routines. That belief is at heart of efforts like Crayola’s Create More Creative Moments initiative, which has sparked conversations about why creativity matters and how it shapes children’s future success.
As heat waves become a regular feature of American summers, you can use these tips and strategies to cool every corner of your home, while keeping energy bills low: 1. Give your AC a wingman. Running a fan alongside your air conditioner lets you set the thermostat 3-4 degrees higher without feeling the difference, since moving air feels cooler on skin. Your comfort stays the same; your utility bill doesn’t.
In an era when machines can generate ideas in seconds, hands-on learning and creativity may be more important for today’s children than ever. In fact, due to the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), 73% of parents believe creativity is an essential trait for their children to develop.
Jeff Davis Electric Co-op won the Safety Trophy Award for the best safety record amongst cooperatives in the State of Louisiana for the 2025-2026 ALEC calendar year at the recent Association of Louisiana Cooperatives meeting in Baton Rouge. The award is based on the cooperative’s incident plus severity rate. Those rates consider man-hours worked, non-loss-time accidents, lost or restricted accidents, number of lost days, number of restricted days, miles driven, vehicle accidents and occupational illnesses. This trophy is a representation of every little win JDEC has each day, according to Director of Safety and Member Services Ben Hetzel.
Sports
Jennings High School is inviting junior high students to try out for its baseball team. Tryouts will be held Tuesday, Aug. 25, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the JHS baseball fields located behind the school. Students interested in participating must have a current physical to be eligible for tryouts. Students are encouraged to be prepared and arrive ready to participate.
— Louisiana hunters will get their first chance Thursday to apply for a new recreational alligator hunt authorized by a state law passed earlier this year, expanding access to a harvest historically conducted through the state's commercial alligator program.
The sixth annual Welsh High School Lift-a-Thon went off without a hitch Friday, as the school’s football players showed off their strength by benching and squatting impressive weights at Greyhound Stadium. The event also gave the community its first glimpse of the 2026-27 Greyhound squad as the team prepares for the upcoming season.
Editorial
Many hospitals are destabilizing small businesses across America by exploiting a littleknown federal charity care program to drive healthcare costs up. The 340B Drug Pricing Program was supposed to help safety-net hospitals serve vulnerable patients by letting them buy prescription medicines at a discount.
ELTON — The Elton Town Council approved a new golf cart ordinance that brings the town's regulations into compliance with Louisiana law and sets local registration fees, following a detailed presentation by Town Attorney Michael Holmes. Holmes explained that the ordinance is based on Louisiana Revised Statute 32:299.4 and establishes the requirements for operating golf carts on public streets within the Town of Elton. Under the ordinance, golf cart owners must register their vehicles with the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles if they intend to drive them on public roads. Operators must also provide proof of registration and liability insurance before receiving authorization from the town.
Ihave unpacked the suitcase. I have washed its contents and returned my clean clothes to closets and drawers.
As a legislator proudly representing Louisiana’s working coast in Terrebonne Parish, the impacts of lawsuit abuse continue to reverberate across not only my district, but the entire state.
The Departments of Health and Human Services and Agriculture just released the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, resetting the federal nutrition advice that shapes how Americans eat.
Obituaries
Margaret Myers Mallett, a devout Catholic, was the second of nine children born to Luke, Sr. and Mamie Kinney Myers on April 17, 1936 in Jennings in Jeff Davis Parish. As a teen, she cared for her maternal grandparents, Elvina and Leo Paul Kinney. After graduating from Jennings High School, she attended SLI (now UL Lafayette) where she met Joseph “Joe” Mallett also from Jeff Davis Parish. On August 4, 1956, they were one of the first couples married at the newly formed Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Jennings, of which her family was a founding member. Margaret and Joe began their family in Welsh before moving to Baton Rouge for Joe’s work. In Baton Rouge, they were a founding family of St. Pius X Catholic Church. Upon moving to Wilson in East Feliciana Parish, they joined Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Jackson where she was active with the Altar Guild and was affectionately known as the “Donut Lady”.
Mary Epperly passed away on Thursday, August 6, 2026 at the age of 83. She was born in Roanoke and resided in LaPlace.
Mary Epperly passed away on Thursday, August 6, 2026 at the age of 83. She was born in Roanoke and resided in LaPlace.
Ivy 'John' Gary, 79, of Jennings passed away peacefully at his home in Lake Charles on July 11, 2026. He was born on Aug.
Dwayne “Durwood” Lewis, 69, of Jennings, died peacefully in his home surrounded by family members on Thursday, July 23, 2026 after a brief battle with cancer. Visitation was held on Sunday, July 26, 2026 at Miguez Funeral Home in Jennings beginning at 3 p.m.
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