News

East Carroll Parish Sheriff Wydette Williams took office Monday, July 1, for his fourth term as sheriff. Williams, along with his administrative staff, Chief Deputy Sheriff Bill Hopkins, Administrative Assistant Sandra Campbell, and Chief Civil Deputy Sheriff Lisa Coody, were sworn in on Thursday, June 27, by Clerk of Court Rene Thomas Williams.

Groundbreaking for a new community center could begin as early as August, says East Carroll Parish Sheriff Wydette Williams. The sheriff’s office obtained a $6 million capital outlay grant to construct a new multifunction facility that will serve the parish in a number of capacities. The new center will be on Regenold Street where the Northside Elementary School was located. Demolition of the old school building has been ongoing in the past two months. Sheriff Williams acknowledged the assistance of the parish’s three legislators: Senator Katrina Jackson, Representatives Travis Johnson and Francis Thompson. “They were very instrumental in acquiring the grant fund so we can build this facility,” he said.

Locating a mental health facility at the East Carroll Parish Hospital was discussed during the hospital’s board of commissioners last week. LaDonna Englerth, hospital administrator, told the board there is a growing need for the facility, and that hospital staff has been referring all patients that need assistance to Delhi.

Much needed repairs for the East Carroll Parish Courthouse are slated to begin the week of July 8. Dudley Keene, representative of Bayou Ranch and Contracting, Inc., said that he was waiting on final paperwork and materials before beginning the work.

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The Lake Providence Rotary Club’s meeting last week served as a forum to discuss alligator populations throughout Louisiana with experts from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Providing both biological and historical background on this “keystone species,” the biologists also fielded questions about the perceived increase of this reptile in our lake and what the community could choose to do about it.

The Louisiana Department of Health is launching a suite of new resources today to help Louisianans stay safe during the hot summer months. These resources include an expanded publicfacing heat-related illness dashboard and a collection of new heat-related health guidance documents.

The Town of Lake Providence Board of Aldermen discussed budget numbers earlier this month before amending this year’s budget and passing a new budget for the next fiscal year. A public hearing was held on 2023-2024 amended general fund budget and 20242025 proposed general fund budget, but the board received no public comments The amended budget of 2023-2024 shows that the town transferred about $345,000 from the utility fund in order to balance the budget.

Arrests as of June 24, 2024: East Carroll Parish Sheriff’s Office: 6/20/24 – Jaquan Brown, 24, introduction of contraband into a penal institution, possession with intent to distribute a schedule III narcotic (Suboxone). Bond is set at $20,000.

The East Carroll Parish Communications District Board voted unanimously to recommend Margaret Jong Toney as a replacement for Billy Coleman on the board, and authorized Director Debra Hopkins to send a letter to the Police Jury requesting that Toney be appointed. The Board also approved a resolution honoring Coleman who had been a member of the 9-1-1 Board for several years.