WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. hiring picked up unexpectedly in December as employers added 256,000 jobs, another sign of the economy’s resilience in the face of high interest rates. The Labor Department reported Friday that job growth was up last month from 212,000 in November. The unemployment rate dropped to 4.1% from 4.2% in November.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Firefighters are hoping for a break from fierce winds fueling massive blazes in the Los Angeles area, killing 10 people, obliterating whole neighborhoods and setting the nation’s second-largest city on edge. The fires have burned more than 10,000 homes and other structures since Tuesday, when they first began popping up around a densely populated expanse north of downtown Los Angeles. No cause has been identified for the largest fires. The level of devastation is jarring even in a state that has grown used to massive wildfires. Dozens of blocks of scenic Pacific Palisades were flattened to smoldering rubble. In neighboring Malibu, blackened palm strands were all that was left above debris where oceanfront homes once stood.
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill announced on Thursday the capture of a Church Point man who was wanted on six counts of child pornography involving juveniles under the age of 13, thanks to assistance from Jeff Davis Parish Sheriff’s Office.
A Jennings woman started 2025 off by celebrating the birth of her first child, who was also the first baby born in the parish.
The position of E-911 director has undergone much back-and-forth negotiation between the Jeff Davis Parish Police Jury and the Jeff Davis Parish Sheriff’s Department, deciding which body should oversee the position.
ELTON — Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana has requested Elton town officials to consider a partnership for a solar and clean water infrastructure project.
WELSH — Many police departments throughout the state have found themselves understaffed, but the Welsh Police Department can cross their names off that list after hiring a part-time and reserve officer, along with promoting a longtime officer to assistant chief of police.
COMMITMENT TO T H E COMMUNITY
WELSH — A new feature at the local library is being offered this year beyond reading books, taking classes online, building crafts and exploring new things. Jeff Davis Parish Library in Welsh is starting a walking club called “Blockers.” People will have a chance to meet up with other walkers and stroll at their own pace Mondays at 5 p.m., starting Jan. 27. Those interested will meet at the McBurney Memorial Library located at 501 South Sara St.
(The Center Square) — Louisiana continues to grapple with significant population losses, according to a recent analysis by the Tax Foundation combining U.S. Census Bureau data with commercial datasets from U-Haul and United Van Lines.
PO Box 910 | 238 Market Street | Jennings, LA 70546 | 337.824.3011
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