News

BATON ROUGE — The Louisiana Governor’s Office of Human Trafficking Prevention has been awarded a $1.6 million grant by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) to create the Louisiana Human Trafficking Task Force in partnership with Louisiana State Police.

(The Center Square) — More than 600,000 voter files in Arizona’s largest county were hacked before the 2020 elections, with prosecutors refusing to pursue charges, according to declassified documents released Thursday.

(The Center Square) — With the Social Security Trust Fund insolvency date looming, a congressional committee discussed creating a basic procedural framework to address the thorny issue at a Wednesday hearing.

Twenty years after the killings that became known as the Jeff Davis 8, Sheriff Kyle Miers says the investigation remains an active priority for the Jeff Davis Parish Sheriff’s Office, with detectives continuing an extensive review of evidence and information gathered over the past two decades. In an interview with the Jennings Daily News, Miers said the cases are examined constantly, not just left on a shelf or in a file.

WELSH — The Welsh Board of Aldermen unanimously approved an ordinance Tuesday night to rezone the second block of the Sonnier Addition from business to residential, a move town officials said better reflects how the area has developed and will allow additional housing on the remaining vacant lots.

ELTON — The Elton Town Council voted Wednesday night to table discussion until September concerning a proposed increase to garbage collection consumer rates. Members want more time to explore ways to reduce costs and educate residents about bulky waste disposal before considering changes with the current Bayou State Waste contract.

Parish officials received a proposal this week to rezone 10 acres in Southwest Jeff Davis Parish for a future chemical storage and potential manufacturing facility. The property is situated immediately east of Oilfield Road in Welsh, roughly south-southwest of the town.

Area residents will have an opportunity to comment on several issues before the Jeff Davis Parish Police Jury votes during its regular meeting next week, with public hearings scheduled on topics ranging from roadway regulations and subdivision rules to landfill expansion, industrial zoning and property tax roll forwards.