News

The unemployment rate in LaSalle Parish for November remained at a level not recorded in the past three years, and is one of the lowest of any parish north of the I-10 corridor in South Louisiana.

At 3.9 percent, LaSalle’s rate is tied for number 12 in the state, with Bossier Parish. Only eleven parishes, ten in the extreme southern part of the state, had lower rates, and those only slightly lower.

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The total rainfall in LaSalle Parish for the year just ended is just about average for the past 30 years.

In 2017, a total of 55.51-inches of rainfall fell in LaSalle Parish. The average for the past 30 years is 56.32-inches.

Rainfall records were kept from 1988 until he moved from Jena in 2015, by former Jena resident and County Agent Clay White, at which time he turned his information over to this newspaper.

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Four elections are on the calendar for year 2018, with tax propositions and a few other items slated for the spring elections March 24 and April 28, with numerous items to appear on the fall election ballot.

At the March 24th special election, the LaSalle Parish School Board has scheduled a tax renewal proposition for a 21-mills tax on all property subject to taxation in the entire parish. This tax has been on the tax rolls for years and is one of the primary sources of income for the school system.

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By Jeremy Alford & Mitch Rabalais

LaPolitics.com

Although they don’t always end up being debated inside Louisiana’s Capitol building, issues that capture the attention of hunters and anglers are constantly under review in ways both big and small, according to the chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee.

State Rep. Stuart Bishop, R-Lafayette, said in a recent interview that many of the proposals for the regular session that convenes on March 12 are still being drafted and researched. But he touched on a number of issues, ranging from deer and fish populations to feral hogs, that are creating a buzz on social media and at hunting and fishing camps across the state.

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A Christmas card snowfall fell in LaSalle Parish on Tuesday of last week causing the closing of schools, government offices, and many businesses. The winter storm system that moved through the area brought a dusting of snow, with temperatures on Tuesday and Wednesday nights dropping into the low teens with wind chill temperatures near zero.

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Several factors make outlook bright for 2018

Although retail sales for 2017 were about the same as 2016, most LaSalle Parish leaders feel a turning point has occurred and look forward to what 2018 brings economically.

With oil prices over $60 a barrel and steadily climbing, LaSalle’s leading economic influencer, the oil industry, appears to be primed and ready for a robust new year with many in the parish already back at work after a devastating three years.

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LaSalle Parish School System

Students of the Year for the LaSalle Parish School System were recognized during the school board’s regular January meeting held Monday night of this week.

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