News

As illnesses spread, fake vape gear sell on LA streets

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A short walk from police headquarters in the heart of downtown Los Angeles, a cluster of bustling shops are openly selling packaging and hardware that can be used to produce counterfeit marijuana vapes that have infected California’s cannabis market.

Bootleggers eager to profit off unsuspecting consumers are mimicking popular, legal vape brands, pairing replica packaging churned out in Chinese factories with untested, possibly dangerous cannabis oil produced in the state’s vast underground market.

Iran’s supreme leader: No talks with the US at any level

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran’s supreme leader said Tuesday “there will be no talks with the U.S. at any level”— remarks apparently meant to end all speculation about a possible U.S.-Iran meeting between the two countries’ presidents at the U.N. later this month.

Iranian state TV quoted Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who’s been personally sanctioned by the Trump administration, as saying this is the position of the entire leadership of the country and that “all officials in the Islamic Republic unanimously believe” this.

Jennings man charged with striking juvenile

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A Jennings man is currently in custody after officers discovered he had struck and attempted to strangle a juvenile.

On the evening of Monday, Sept. 16, Jennings Police Department Chief Danny Semmes said his department received a call in reference to a runaway juvenile.

“The juvenile did return home and during an investigation officers learned that the father, Lance Lozeau, 42, of Jennings had struck the youngest juvenile in the face prior to the juvenile running away,” he said.

Teacher pleads guilty

A former Jennings High School educator pled guilty Sept. 9 to carnal knowledge of a juvenile and indecent behavior with juveniles.

Rachel Marie Gillespie, 28, of Jennings, was arrested in August 2017 after she was accused of having a sexual relationship with a student. Jeff Davis Parish School Board administrators had contacted the sheriff’s department upon learning of the allegations.

Chris Ivey, chief deputy of Jeff Davis Sheriff’s Office, said when announcing the arrest that information gathered during investigation led to detectives requesting an arrest warrant.

Florence Street sidewalk project completed

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The new sidewalk on Florence Street project is now complete and open to the public.

The city council recently voted to authorize the mayor to sign and accept the Florence Street Sidewalk Project as substantially complete. The project included the installation of a new sidewalk on Florence Street from around Fourth Street to the Greenwood subdivision.

JDP represented at library convention

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Representatives from the Jeff Davis Parish Libraries recently traveled to Burlington, Vt.to attend this year’s Association for Rural and Small Libraries (ARSL) Convention.

Three library staff members from across the parish, along with two board members made the trip to explore how other small libraries function.

In attendance were Director of Libraries Clare Coleman, Elton Library assistant branch manager Ressie Stutes, Welsh Library branch manager Jean Stoute and board members Ramona Hardee and Barbara Dewolf.

COA HOLDS SEMINAR

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The Council on Aging does its best to inform seniors of topics that relate to issues that may affect them. Arthur Schafer, who retired from the attorney general’s office Medicaid Fraud Unit, gave attendees pointers on what is considered fraud when it comes to caregivers in the home.

GM walkout brings factories and warehouses to a standstill

DETROIT (AP) — More than 49,000 members of the United Auto Workers went on strike Monday against General Motors, bringing more than 50 factories and parts warehouses to a standstill in the union’s first walkout against the No. 1 U.S. automaker in over a decade.

Workers left factories and formed picket lines shortly after midnight in the dispute over a new four-year contract. The union’s top negotiator said in a letter to the company that the strike could have been averted had the company made its latest offer sooner.

Water quality sensor hitching ride on Miss. riverboat

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — A datagathering sensor attached to the American Queen steamboat will give scientists and cities a better understanding of water quality along the entire length of the Mississippi River, officials said Monday.

NATIONAL BRIEFS

Damaged barge removed from Tenn-Tom lock after oil spill