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A Review of Events in LaSalle in 2021
A Review of Events in LaSalle in 2021
News
January 4, 2022
A Review of Events in LaSalle in 2021

Many events made news in LaSalle Parish during the year just ended. Following is a week-by-week review of some of the stories that made the pages of this newspaper during the first six months of 2021. Next week, a review of the stories that appeared in the paper during the final six months of the year will be published.

  • A Review of Events in LaSalle in 2021
  • A Review of Events in LaSalle in 2021
  • A Review of Events in LaSalle in 2021
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    Many events made news in LaSalle Parish during the year just ended. Following is a week-by-week review of some of the stories that made the pages of this newspaper during the first six months of 2021. Next week, a review of the stories that appeared in the paper during the final six months of the year will be published.

    January

    January 6:

    For LaSalle Parish and the rest of the world, there is no doubt that the biggest news story of 2020 was the COVID-19 pandemic and all of its related issues. COVID-19 was the spotlight of everything from March until the end of the year and so many news stories that appeared in this newspaper during that time period centered upon the coronavirus and its affect on people, events, and life in general.

    Just five days before he would have been sworn in as the new Fifth District Congressman, Luke Joshua Letlow, 41, from Start, passed away from complications due to COVID-19 on December 29, 2020. He was born to Johnny and Dianne Letlow on December 6, 1979, in Richland Parish, Louisiana.

    As social media continues to have a larger part in LaSalle Parish residents’ life, The Jena Times is constantly working to improve it’s online resources to keep readers informed on the latest news. For many years the LaSalle Parish newspaper has maintained it’s website, www.thejenatimes.net, and about nine years ago it expanded its operations to include viewing the entire paper each week on computers, laptops, phones, and other devices via its website and through email distribution.

    Exciting news continues to break from the Rod Brady Campus of the Central Louisiana Technical Community College (CLTCC) system in Jena as two new programs were recently announced. Campus Dean Laurel Comeaux noted the expansion of their services would allow so many new opportunities for those living in and around Jena to earn degrees and skills that will directly transfer to higher wages.

    January 13:

    All 64 Louisiana parishes will have limited doses of the COVID-19 vaccine this week. A total of 209 vaccine providers across the state will receive the doses.

    Qualifying for the spring 2021 election will be held Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, January 20-22, according to LaSalle Clerk of Court Steve D. Andrews. Three special elections have been called, one for Fifth District U.S. Representative, one for a school board member and the other for a police jury member.

    LaSalle Parish continues to lead the state with the lowest unemployment rate of any parish, recording a rate of 4.5-percent in November. The closest parishes were Jackson and Sabine, each with 5.0-percent jobless rate.

    Enrollment figures for the public and private school students in LaSalle Parish at mid-year shows a very slight decrease from the past school year, according to figures released this week. Enrollment in public and private schools decreased from 2,864 last year to 2,740 this year-a decrease of 124 students.

    Despite the shutdown created by the coronavirus pandemic early last year, retail sales for the year just ended remained very strong. Sales parish wide was down only 3.5% but in the Town of Jena, sales were up by more than 12.5%. Retail sales in LaSalle Parish are based on sales tax collections in 2020 as released last week by the Concordia Sales Tax Collection Agency, which collect sales taxes for several bodies in the parish.

    The country lost a great patriot, the oil and gas industry lost a dedicated and highly qualified professional, and LaSalle Parish lost an outstanding community leader last Thursday morning. James F. Justiss, Jr., 89, passed away at home in Trout early Thursday, January 7th, 2021, surrounded by his family.

    January 20th:

    Students of the Year for each LaSalle Parish School recently took part in the district-wide interview portion as they seek the coveted title of Student of the Year for their various divisions. The winners will be announced in two weeks and they will be recognized at the February school board meeting. Shown above, left to right: Seated at bottom, Owen Russell Girlinghouse, son of Kurt & Deborah Girlinghouse (5th grade Good Pine Middle School), Shelby Raye Norris, daughter of Justin & Casey Norris (5th grade Fellowship Elementary School); Middle section, Tucker Allen Barbo, son of Tommy & Sarah Barbo (Senior LaSalle High School), Leah Joanette Steen, daughter of Annie & Justin Steen (5th grade Olla Elementary School), Gabriella “Gabby” Deachel Humphries, daughter of Cynthia Humphries (8th grade LaSalle Jr. High School), Alex Olivia Hodges, daughter of Allison Kendrick Stelly & Matthew Hodges (8th grade Jena Jr. High School); Back row, Triston Scott McLendon, son of Scott & April McLendon (8th grade Nebo Elementary School), and Hannah Gayle Parker, daughter of Jarred & Melinda Parker (Senior Jena High School). Top left inset is Cannon Webb Joy, son of Celia Jaye and Brandon Joy (5th grade Nebo Elementary School).

    The LaSalle Parish School Board elected new officers during their first meeting of the New Year last Monday night, January 11, along with taking care of other routine business. The board unanimously elected Ward 6 Board Member Buddy Bethard as the 2021 School Board President. Bethard replaced Melvin Worthington of Ward 9 who served during 2020.

    The Urania Town Council and Mayor Terri Corley discussed the upcoming applications for the 2020-2021 CWEF (Community Water Enrichment Fund) grant and LGAP (Local Government Assistance Program) grant last week during their monthly meeting. In regard to the LGAP, the Council decided to apply for $35,000 toward the purchase of a new ¾ ton four-wheel drive single cab pick-up truck for maintenance department. Mayor Corley brought up the need for a four-wheel drive vehicle to access some of the roads, the plant and lift stations. She said the current maintenance vehicles are having issues.

    During the January meeting of the Olla Town Council, Mayor Elliot informed members that the contractor over the town’s sidewalk project asked for the building inspector to inspect two of the buildings without roofs at 2906 Front Street and 2914 Front Street.

    January 27:

    The Cliff Williams Memorial Foundation has provided educators in LaSalle Parish with more than $1,365,865.46 in grants since it was formed in 1990. For the current school year, a total of $75,269.79 in grants was approved by the Foundation for various teachers in the LaSalle Parish School System.

    When qualifying ended late last Friday afternoon, a total of thirteen candidates filed to seek the vacant Fifth Congressional District seat, left vacant by the untimely death of Luke Letlow, who died of Covid-19 related issues just days before he would have been sworn as new U.S. Representative.

    President Robert “June” Fowler, District 5, and Vice President Jerrod Douglas, District 1, were re-elected by fellow jurors to serve during calendar year 2021. As incoming new members of the Jury a year ago, these men were chosen to lead the Jury and now have been elected to a second term.

    The terms “unprecedented,” “unusual,” and “trying times,” have all been overused in describing the year 2020 but they are all exactly right. A year that saw COVID-19 literally shutdown all aspects of life, then riots during the months leading up to one of the most divisive Presidential elections in recent history, all added up to a year that most people would just as well forget.

    February

    February 3:

    LaSalle Parish Police Jury President June Fowler gave an update on the status of the door-to-door garbage pickup parish wide during an interview with the Jena Times last Thursday.

    The LaSalle ICE Processing Center, owned by the GEO Group, Inc. and located in Jena, does not appear to be affected by President Joe Biden’s executive orders last week pertaining to private prisons. According to reliable sources, Biden’s order applies to the US Department of Justice regarding inmates that are housed in private prisons and not the Department of Homeland Security, or US Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE), which is the agency the LaSalle facility is in contract with.

    In response to the Biden administration suspending new oil and gas leases on federal land for 60 days, oil and gas companies in the South and Southwest warned that doing so would impact hundreds of thousands of jobs and destroy the economy of some states. Many of these jobs are held by employees from LaSalle Parish and surrounding area and losing these jobs would be disastrous for the area.

    February 10:

    LaSalle Parish retail sales for the 2020 December holiday season showed a big spike based on sales tax collections in January, which were for December sales.

    Almost after two years and delays caused primarily by the coronavirus pandemic, construction on the new Jena Branch of the LaSalle Parish Library has been completed and the Office of State Fire Marshal has approved the building for occupancy. Construction started on the building in May 2019, with an expectation date of last May. However, with a few months left on construction time, the pandemic hit shutting down work for several weeks. When work was finally allowed to resume, labor was hard to find because workers were drawing more on unemployment than they would if they worked.

    State Representative Gabe Firment, District 20, addressed members of the LaSalle Parish School Board during the regular February meeting on Monday night of last week, catching them up on efforts to get high-speed broadband internet service in the area.

    The Jena Town Council voted to move forward with a long awaited street improvement project for the town during its regular February meeting held Monday of last week. Mayor LaDawn Edwards announced that the street committee members- Tommy Sandifer and Lester Francis- had met with officials with the Police Jury to seek their assistance with the project as four jury ward extends into Jena.

    State Treasurer John M. Schroder announced at the Capitol last week the Main Street Recovery Grant Program issued $262 million in grants to 20,751 small businesses across Louisiana. With only replacement checks left to be issued, the programs is essentially closed. The LaSalle Parish legislative delegation- Senator Glen Womack, Representatives Neil Riser and Gabe Firment- reports that the program assisted a total of 59 businesses in LaSalle Parish, totaling $760, 681.51.

    February 17:

    LaSalle Parish Police Juror Jerrod Douglas is his own type of locomotive as he fights for residents in Ward 1 against the powerful Union Pacific railroad company. Residents who live on Lanehart Dr. and the Airport Road just outside of Olla have recently had their lives upended and their roads destroyed due to Union Pacific using the Olla Airport as its staging area for railroad construction/maintenance crews. The jury voted to close the airport early last year.

    The LaSalle Parish Police Jury breezed through their agenda Monday night, February 8, taking care of routine business and the yearly appointment of special committee assignments before hearing from a large group of Ward 1 residents and their complaints about Union Pacific.

    State Representative Neil Riser of Columbia, District 20, has prefiled two bills that would reinstate suspended sales tax holidays in Louisiana. Riser pre-filed the bills for the regular session of the Louisiana Legislature, slated to begin on April 12, 2021.

    The first purple martins of 2021 arrived in LaSalle Parish on Saturday, February 6. Early in February, the ground hog did see his shadow, thus there are mixed signals on an early arrival of spring this year.

    February 24:

    A winter storm last week froze the entire parish and residents are still cleaning up its aftermath. The storm actually consisted of two different waves, the first arriving on Valentines Day, Sunday afternoon (Feb. 14). By late Sunday night, conditions worsened as temperatures dropped and precipitation began to fall. When residents awake Monday morning, the entire parish was covered with 2-4 inches of ice and snow mix and snow showers occurred throughout the day.

    With an estimated $2 billion provided to Louisiana from a federal coronavirus aid bill passed in December and the likelihood of another federal stimulus package, state legislators are hopeful they can balance the budget for fiscal 2022 with no more that modest cuts.

    March

    March 3:

    LaSalle Parish continues to lead the state with the lowest unemployment rate of any parish, recording a rate of 4.0 percent in December. This is the eighth month in a row, dating back to last May, that LaSalle has led the state with the lowest jobless rate. For the month of December, only three other parishes had jobless rates below 5-percent: Sabine, 4.3%; Cameron, 4.5%; and West Feliciana, 4.6%.

    The Edwards administration on Friday proposed a budget for fiscal 2022 that would use federal coronavirus aid to avoid cuts and provide additional funds to K-12 and higher education. The $36.6 billion budget provides annual pay increases of $400 to K-12 public school teachers and $200 for K-12 support staff, a proposal that teachers unions immediately criticized as too small.

    Inside this edition of your parish newspaper is the annual “Special D.A.R.E. Section”, which includes pictures of all recent D.A.R.E. graduates, along with D.A.R.E. essays from many of the students. This section was scheduled to be included in the Feb. 24th edition, but due to the winter storm and Covid cases at the printer, the section was not printed in time to include in last week’s paper. Thanks to all the sponsors for the special section.

    March 10:

    The LaSalle Parish Police Jury officially signed their contract with Waste Connections last week setting the stage for door-to-door parish-wide garbage pickup to begin in three months. The jury met for a special meeting Monday night, March 1, where the contract with Waste Connections (WC) was discussed, approved, and signed ending months of negotiations.

    Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards began the process of getting the state back to normal last week when he moved the state into a modified Phase 3, which began Wednesday, March 3. The new executive order will remain in effect until March 31 and will allow businesses such as restaurants and mall to operate at 75% capacity, gyms at 50% capacity, and bars up to 50% capacity depending upon individual parish positivity rates.

    Members of the LaSalle Parish School Board spent about half of their regular March meeting on Monday night of last week discussing upgrading telecommunications for the district. An item on the agenda to approve advertising for proposals for telecommunications upgrades for the school board office, media center and five parish schools prompted the discussion.

    March 17:

    When door-to-door garbage pickup begins in LaSalle Parish, perhaps no one will be affected more than those residents/businesses living and operating in the parish’s four towns. The affects will be positive for some and negative for others.

    The Truckload Carriers Association has named Ty Hinton, from Olla, a Highway Angel for stopping to assist an elderly man who had fallen next to a busy street. Ty Hinton was driving through Peoria, Illinois early one afternoon on his way to pick up a load when he noticed an elderly man sitting on the sidewalk next to the street.

    The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) office in Jena is now open five days a week because of efforts of the LaSalle Parish legislative delegation. The office is open 8 a.m. until 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, and is located at 1090 East Elmwood Street, directly behind the LaSalle Parish Courthouse. Appointments are not necessary and walk-ins are welcomed.

    The spring 2021 open primary election will be held this Saturday, March 20, at polling precincts throughout the parish, according to Clerk of Court Steve D. Andrews.

    March 24:

    Julia Letlow, Republican from Start, was elected to fill her late husband’s seat as U.S. Representative from the Fifth District of Louisiana at last Saturday’s special election. In a local election, voters in District 4 chose Marcia Cooksey as their new school board member. She will fill out the unexpired term of Virgie Wilson, who died last fall.

    The “Come to Jesus Community-wide Revival” will be held at the LaSalle High School gym in Olla, Sunday through Wednesday, March 28-31. Evangelist will be Rev. Rubin Weaver, pastor of Antioch Baptist Church in Farmerville for the past seven years. Originally from Sibley, he has been in the ministry for 17 years.

    LaSalle Parish schools continue to see a decrease in the number of COVID-19 cases, which coincides with the drop in positive cases parish wide. According to LPSB Secondary Supervisor Tish Taylor, cases in the school system have seen a steady decline since the state started recording them at the start of school last fall. Taylor noted that since school began last September, there has been 100 students test positive for the virus and 49 employees test positive.

    A major highway project in LaSalle Parish was among seven projects around the state included in bids let on March 10, 2021. Seven contractors presented apparent low bids totaling $17.1 million The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development reported on the apparent low bids.

    The Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles (OMV) is warning citizens of third-party websites obtaining residents’ personal data and credit card information in addition to overcharging citizens for online vehicle registration services. These websites are privately owned by for-profit companies and are not affiliated with any state government agency.

    Jena Elementary first grader Gage Crooks of Teacher Dariel Adams’ class dresses as Sam I Am, a character from the popular Dr. Seuss book, ”Green Eggs & Ham,” during Jena Elementary’s recent Read Across America celebration. Students, faculty and staff members dressed as Dr. Seuss book characters for the celebration. He is the son of Blake & Leigh Ann Crooks of Jena.

    March 31:

    Representatives from the Waste Connections spoke to members of the LaSalle Parish Police Jury during a special meeting last Thursday night concerning delivery of Sierra container carts to be used when door-to-door garbage service begins in the parish. Gabe Ward, WC’s District Manager, introduced Sean Mason who will be in charge of delivering the 95-gallon container cart to homes and businesses throughout the parish. He said each home or business will receive a blue cart, which has a serial number, which will be assigned to that address.

    During last month’s regular meeting of the Catahoula Lake Game and Fish Preserve Commission, members voted unanimously to ask the State of Louisiana to appeal recent court decisions to the United States Supreme Court. The case, Steve Crooks and Era Lea Crooks vs. the State of Louisiana, Department of Natural Resources, Originally filed in 2006, said landowners around Catahoula Lake are the legal owners of the lake and won in district court.

    Gov. John Bel Edwards will propose using portions of Louisiana’s share of $350 billion in government aid called for in the American Rescue Plan Act to pay for infrastructure improvements, promote tourism and replenish the fund that pays for state unemployment benefits, his top budget official said Monday.

    April

    April 7:

    The LaSalle Parish School Board voted to extend Superintendent Janet Tullos’ contract for one year following a 90-minute executive session during a special board meeting held Tuesday night of last week. The board voted 9 to 0 (with one member absent), to extend the contract for a year and then negotiate a renewal at the end of the oneyear period.

    In the digital divide of Louisiana, rural areas such as LaSalle are among the 400,000 plus residents who do not have access to good quality, high-speed Internet. Last Wednesday, the LaSalle Economic Development District (LEDD) held it’s 7th Annual “A Greater LaSalle” Luncheon at the Jena Band of Choctaw Indians Administrative Building in Trout where the focus was on rural broadband with state, district and local leaders committing to do whatever it took to bring high speed Internet to all of the parish.

    April 14:

    Members of the Jena Town Council and Mayor LaDawn Edwards spent several minutes of their regular meeting on Monday of last week talking about the upcoming street improvement project for the town. Several streets have been identified to be included in the first round of street improvements. Town officials are awaiting a meeting with the town engineer before final plans will be made for the needed work.

    The Louisiana congressional delegation has coalesced behind their preference for a new map if the state’s six congressional boundaries, according to U.S. Rep. Mike Johnson. And the new map shows little change in the present districts. Many had worried that the Fifth Congressional District would be merged into another district after the 2020 census figures are released. All governing bodies, from Congress down to police juries and school boards must redraw district lines based on new population figures following each census.

    Pan American Engineer Jacob Guillory and Mike McGuffee of GCP Management led a discussion with the Town of Tullos Council and Mayor Karla Cockerham concerning the next step with elevated water tank leak repairs during the Council’s regular meeting last week.

    LaSalle Parish Police Juror Tim Lasiter discussed the upcoming garbage pick-up arrangement with Urania Mayor Terri Corley and the Council during their regular meeting last week. He informed the Mayor and Council that the dumpsters are set to be picked up in July as well as the dumpster site blocked off and signs put up. He also said he and other police jurors are meeting with the sheriff next week about the possibility of inmates cleaning up the dumpsites after the dumpsters are removed.

    A special program was held at the Centennial Cultural Center in Olla recently to present “The Quilt of Valor” to Lee Roy Tullos, a native of Tullos, who currently resides in Pollock. While serving in the United States Navy, Tullos was on duty during the Korean Conflict in 1952-1953.

    April 21:

    After the April session of the LaSalle Parish School Board was called to order on Monday night of last week, a new member of the board was given her oath of office and seated on the board. Marcia Cooksey took her oath of office as new District 4 member of the board. The oath was administered by Clerk of Court Steve D. Andrews.

    LaSalle Parish School Board bus driver Suzan Nelson has been named as the 2020-21 “Statewide Bus Driver of the Year!” by the Property Casualty Alliance of Louisiana (PCAL). The announcement was made during the regular April meeting of the LaSalle Parish School Board held Monday night of last week.

    The LaSalle Parish Police Jury adopted a proclamation for Fair Housing Month and a resolution for the Breithaupt Cutoff Road Bridge over Rhinehart Creek during its regular April meeting held Monday night of last week.

    Retail sales continue to hold strong for the first quarter of this year, according to figures just released by the Concordia Parish Sales Tax Collection Agency. For the entire parish, retail sales increased by 8-percent, in Jena retail sales were up by 10 percent, and in the town of Olla, retail sales jumped a whopping 25-percent for the first quarter of this year over the first quarter of 2020.

    LaSalle Parish continues to lead the state with the lowest unemployment rate of any parish, recording a rate of 4.1-percent in January. This is the ninth month in a row, dating back to last May, that LaSalle has led the state with the lowest jobless rate.

    April 28:

    Gov. John Bel Edwards and CEO Paul Schubert of Strategic Biofuels LLC announced that the company’s wholly owned subsidiary, Louisiana Green Fuels, announced plans to develop a renewable diesel plant near the Caldwell Parish seat of Columbia during a site visit last Friday.

    Small Business Week is being celebrated throughout America during the week of May 3-9, 2021. An annual event sponsored by the U.S. Small Business Association (SBA), the week is an opportunity for national and community leaders to recognize the critical contributions of America’s entrepreneurs and small business owners to the country’s community.

    All four LaSalle Parish baseball and softball teams have won a spot in the state playoffs this year. The semi-final softball games have been set for this week at Frasch Park in Sulphur, for the 2021 LHSAA Fast 56 Sate Softball Tournament.

    Olla Mayor Rhonda Elliott announced at the Council’s regular April meeting held Monday night of last week that the town now has the $1-million in funding for upgrading the town’s water system. The town received the 2020-2021 LCDBG (Louisiana Community Development Block Grant) funding for $957,100, which combined with local funds of $42,900.00, totals $1,000,000 needed for the upgrade.

    May

    May 5:

    History was made for LaSalle Parish Saturday, May 1, in Sulphur, Louisiana, as the Jena Lady Giants and the LaSalle Lady Tigers both won state softball championships in their respective classifications. The Lady Giants beat Iowa 12-10 for the Class 3A State Championship and the LaSalle Lady Tigers beat Oak Grove 12-4 for the Class 1A State Championship. This was Jena’s first state title and LaSalle’s third state title and the first that both occurred the same years.

    Small Business Week is being celebrated throughout America during the week of May 3-9, 2021. An annual event sponsored by the U.S. Small Business Association (SBA), the week is an opportunity for national and community leaders to recognize the critical contributions of America’s entrepreneurs and small business owners to the country’s economy.

    The population of LaSalle Parish has remained steady for the past ten years, according to Census 2020 figures released last week. LaSalle’s population in 2020 was 14,874, down just 16 people from the 14,890 in the 2010 census. This was a loss of just .23% during the ten-year period. In 1990, census figures showed the population of the parish at 13,662, and in 2000, the population grew to 14,276.

    LaSalle Parish will join thousands of parishes, counties, and municipalities across the nation Thursday, May 6, as the National Day of Prayer event is observed. Each year the National Day of Prayer event is held with the major focus being on praying for the United States of America.

    May 12:

    A total of 106 seniors will participate in graduation exercises at Jena High School at 7:30 p.m., Friday, May 14, 2021, either at the Guy Campbell Memorial Stadium or Gymnasium, depending on weather.

    Graduation exercises for LaSalle High School will be held Thursday evening, May 13, 2020, at 8 p.m. at Tiger Stadium (weather permitting) in Olla.

    Members of the board’s regular LaSalle Parish School Board along with Superintendent Janet Tullos were in a celebratory mood during the board’s regular May meeting held Monday night of last week. With the Jena Lady Giants and LaSalle Lady Tigers claiming state softball championships in their respective division two days earlier in Sulphur, school officials extended their congratulations to players, coaches and fans.

    May 19:

    For the 23rd consecutive year, the LaSalle Parish School Board has been awarded the Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO) “excellence in financial reporting” award. ASBO International’s COE recognizes districts that have met the program’s high standards for financial reporting and transparency.

    An ordinance adopting the annual budget of revenue and expenditures for fiscal year 2021-22 was introduced at the Olla Town Council meeting on Tuesday night of last week, and a public hearing called for the June meeting to receive comments before acting on the proposed budget. The public hearing will also include comments on the amended budget for the year 2020-21.

    For the tenth month in a row, since the beginning of the pandemic, LaSalle Parish leads the state with lowest unemployment figures. For the month of March 2021, the unemployment rate for LaSalle Parish had dropped to 3.4 percent (pre-pandemic levels) with the nearest parishes being Jackson and Sabine, both with 3.9 percent jobless rates.

    Silas Cecile, LaSalle 4-H Agent with the LSU/AgCenter, gave an updated report on the 4-H Education Focus 2020-21 program to members of the LaSalle Parish Police Jury at their regular May meeting held Monday night of last week.

    Over three years ago, WWII medals found discarded in California were brought to Jena where they have remained on display at the Jena Town Hall because family of the deceased-hero Navy sailor could not be located. Recently, family of the sailor arrived in Jena and claimed the items and returned the back to the family’s possession. “They are where they should be,” Jena Mayor LaDawn Edwards said. “They are finally back in the home of his family.”

    May 26:

    With just five weeks remaining before the parish is set to begin its door-to-door garbage pickup service with Waste Connections, one LaSalle Parish Police Juror has had enough of the illegal dumping at dump sites located in his ward.

    Ward 3 Juror Tim Lasiter has said the dumpster sites located in his ward around Tullos have long been inundated with illegal dumping, mostly from people living outside of the LaSalle Parish area.

    Two Memorial Day programs are planned for this weekend to honor the memory of fallen soldiers from this area and from throughout the nation.

    The first of these events will be held at the Centennial Cultural Center in downtown Olla, at 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 30th.

    For 44 years, Dr. K. P. Mauterer, Jr., has served as a physician at Hardtner Medical Center in Urania and has exemplified all the characteristics of a country, family doctor.

    On May 31, this compassionate and dedicated 2004 National Country Doctor of the Year will retire, leaving a void in the medical community that will be hard to fill.

    Retiring personnel of the LaSalle Parish School System were honored at a retirement tea last Thursday afternoon at the Family Life Center of Jena First Baptist Church. Superintendent Janet Tullos gave the welcome, Board President Buddy Bethard gave the opening prayer, Maintenance and Transportation Supervisor Glen Joiner made recognitions and Federal Programs Supervisor Kathryn Tyler presented plaques to retirees. Receiving plaques for their service were, front row, left to right: Bonnie Stamper, 23 years; Pam Pentecost, 36 years; Susan Allbritton, 29.5 years; Cherry Eaves, 22 years; Angie Pendarvis, 34 years; Dorothy Allen, 21 years; Janis Steen, 6 years; Cathy Roark, 30 years; Judy Corley, 29 years; and Debbie Finlay, 26 years; and back row, left to right: Peggy Carroll, 20 years; Teresa Raiford, 23 years; Deborah Jones, 20 years; Lisa Pennington, 28 years; Annette Whatley, 36 years; Sandra W. Henderson, 28 years; Lynn Enterkin, 20 years; June Gann, 32 years; Patricia Gail Russell, 30 years; Michael Doughty, 23.5 years; and Herb Bassett, 34 years. Not shown were Owen Gauthier, 33.5 years; Retta Pritchard, 22 years; Golina Lee, 19 years; Wendell Callender, 35 years; Reita Pearson, 22 years; Kathy McCarty, 31 years; Debbie Johnson, 19 years; Brenda Lisenby, 12.5 years; and Henry Jenkins, 18.5 years. This year’s tea honorees were a combination from 2020 to 2021 retirees after a reception was unable to be held in May 2020 because of Covid-19 restrictions.

    June

    June 2:

    After a year and two months of governor ordered mandates, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards finally removed the state from most of the government restrictions last Tuesday, May 25.

    Conservatives in the Louisiana House of Representatives have unified together to form the Louisiana Conservative Caucus. The new caucus will focus on supporting the Speaker and the Republican Delegation to steer the legislature in a direction that more closely reflects the fiscally conservative values of Louisiana’s people.

    LaSalle Parish residents and businesses will soon have their individual garbage cans delivered as Waste Connections prepares to do their door-to-door garbage pickup set to start July 1.

    Friday, June 4, 2021, has been declared as Dr. K.P. Mauterer Day” in the town of Olla, and several activities have been planned to honor the dedicated doctor upon his retirement after 44 years of service. The celebration will begin with a parade through downtown Olla at 6 p.m. (same route as LHS Homecoming parade) where Dr. Mauterer will serve as the Grand Marshal.

    June 9:

    Waste Connections began delivering garbage containers to LaSalle Parish residences and businesses on Monday as they prepare to start door-to-door garbage collection on July 1. According to District Manager Gabe Ward, the containers were set to arrive in the parish Monday, June 7, and the process of delivering to the locations that same day.

    The Louisiana Conservative Caucus, consisting of 41 members of the Louisiana House of Representatives, has made its first formal policy decision by opposing the Senate amendment to House Speaker Pro-Temp Magee’s (R – Houma) House Bill 514.

    The Louisiana Legislature unanimously approved a $38.3 billion state budget proposal for the fiscal year that begins July 1 well ahead of the deadline. More than half of the spending comes from the federal government, including one-time federal COVID-19 relief and stimulus money.

    A bill that would limit the legal immunity for Louisiana police officers who use excessive force failed to pass through a Senate judiciary committee Tuesday. Rep. Edmond Jordan, D-Baton Rouge, authored HB 609, which would give civil judges a list of factors to determine whether the law officer had used force reasonably

    June 16:

    The Urania Town Council’s meeting last week centered on funding through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and the upcoming start of parish-wide garbage pickup by Waste Connection.

    Longtime Hardtner Medical Center Physician Dr. K.P. Mauterer, Jr., (center) and his wife, Pam, talk to Lee Richardel, Chairman of the Board of Commissioners at HMC, before the start of a ceremony in Olla on Friday, June 4th, honoring the noted Olla Doctor for more than four decades of loyal and dedicated services to patients at HMC from around the area. The date- June 4, this year and in the future- was declared to be “Dr. K.P. Mauterer Day” in Olla by Mayor Rhonda Elliott. Following a parade in honor where Dr. Mauterer served as Grande Marshal, a special celebration was held at LaSalle High School.

    The Tullos Town Council voted in favor for a variety of ordinances from amending tap fees to the town budget and a resolution, regarding the state bond commission and an upcoming grant application

    Olla Mayor Rhonda Elliott updated the Town Council on the town’s garbage pick-up during their regular meeting last week She said the town will continue to have trash pick-up from Waste Management on Wednesdays until December 31 when the contract expires; therefore, the town will have two days a week of garbage pick-up.

    LaSalle Parish Teachers of the Year for 2021-22 were recognized during the regular June session of the LaSalle Parish School Board held Monday night of last week. Teachers of the Year include: Heather Spence, Good Pine Middle School, Elementary Teacher of the Year; Wendell Callender, LaSalle Junior High School, Middle School Teacher of the Year; and Dr. Patrick Willis, Jena High School, High School Teacher of the Year.

    June 23:

    For the first time in the history of LaSalle Parish, door-to-door garbage pick-up will occur in the entire parish starting next Thursday morning, July 1. In the past, only residents in three of the four parish towns were privileged to this service but now every resident, every small business and even in the remotest parts of the parish, will receive the curbside service.

    Despite only being formed during the final three weeks of the 2021 legislative session, the Louisiana Conservative Caucus dramatically altered the outcome to ensure conservative policies won the day.

    Jakki Richardson, owner of Creekside Reality, LLC of Jena, asked the LaSalle Parish Police Jury at their regular June meeting held Monday night of last week to approve the parish to participate in the Capital Area Finance Authority (CAFA).

    Longtime Urania resident Irene Mathis Jameson has seen a lot in her over five year score years of living including the birth of two great-great-great grandchildren. She was born in 1919 and will celebrate her 102nd birthday on June 24.

    June 30:

    Roy O. Martin Foresters Matt Shively and Mark Thiels join T&T Logging owner Tim Lasiter to view the results to view the results of a joint preservation project to save the Pendarvis Cemetery located north of Tullos on company land. The cemetery dates back to the Castor Creek Port days in the 1800s and will now be preserved for the future generations.

    Waste Connections will begin door-to-door garbage pickup in LaSalle Parish tomorrow (Thursday) morning after months of preparations. District Manager Gabe Ward said the final work was completed this week and the trucks will begin running their routes Thursday, July 1, as originally planned back in March when the contract with the LaSalle Parish Police Jury was signed.

    Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards vetoed legislation last week that would have insured biological males never compete against biological females in elementary, high school or secondary sports.

    The Louisiana Legislature wrapped up the recent session, charting spending of federal pandemic aid and moving toward a centralized sales tax collection in Louisiana. More that $1 billion was carved off for two legislative priorities: $563 million for road and bridge work and $490 million to shore up Louisiana’s near-bankrupt unemployment trust fund and repay money borrowed to cover jobless benefits.

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