News

(The Center Square) — More than 500 applicants are seeking a share of Louisiana’s new federal rural health funding, but not every request will be approved as they begin deciding how to divide more than $200 million.

(The Center Square) — Flock, a video surveillance company, is working to build privacy legislation in the United States based on the company’s policies. An emerging license-platereading camera company, Flock has faced intense scrutiny from lawmakers and the public in recent years over its tactics to monitor law enforcement and public safety incidents.

The Jeff Davis Parish School Board has begun discussing how to distribute revenue from the parish’s newly approved half-cent sales tax among school system employees, but board members remain divided over the fairest approach.

(The Center Square) — Louisiana residents recovering fromTropical Storm Arthur have an additional month to apply for federal disaster assistance as one of the state's recovery centers prepares to close.

Jeff Davis Parish officials are weighing how to respond after a local business was found to be out of compliance with Louisiana’s Industrial Tax Exemption Program requirements for multiple years. The issue was brought before the Jeff Davis Parish School Board, with representatives from the police jury and sheriff’s office, as a discussion item.

The Jeff Davis Parish School Board closed out the 2025-26 fiscal year on a positive financial note and approved its 2026-27 operating budget this week. Finance Director Christin LeGros told board members the district’s general fund finished the 2025-26 fiscal year with an anticipated surplus of approximately $1 million.

LAKE ARTHUR — While reviewing year-end finances during its August meeting, Lake Arthur officials reported the town remains within state budget requirements as Mayor Sampson “Poncho” LeJeune offered residents a behind-the-scenes look into the challenges of building a municipal budget.