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Church invites community to service

News Staff

Thursday, January 4, 2024

The public is invited to St. James AMEC located 602 Second St. in Lake Providence on Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024 from 9:30 to 10:20 a.m. for Sunday school. At 10:30 a.m., join for worship and communion every first Sunday in every month. The intercessory prayerline is open every Tuesday at 4 p.m. - dial 712-432-3900 and use access code 105019#. The pastor is the Rev. Dr. Vernetta C. Rogers, serving the AME Church for 48 years. For more info, dial 708-417-6209.

No, these are not solar panels

News Staff

Thursday, January 4, 2024

No, these are not solar panels. Later this month, they each will contain a weather-resistant page from a book. Community members will be able to read the story as they walk along. A partnership between LSU AgCenter, East Carroll Parish Library, 4-H, and Healthy Communities, this StoryWalk was announced last summer and is intended to combine the joy of reading with outdoor physical activities for people of all ages. A festive unveiling is planned for later this month, according to Lekeisha Lucas-Powell, 4-H youth development agent with the AgCenter.

Atlanta visitor Lori Lensing

News Staff

Thursday, January 4, 2024

The old Cotton Exchange restuarant burned.

Local Commerce

News Staff

Thursday, December 28, 2023

Lake Providence welcomed a few new small shops this year which were featured in these pages. We interviewed Tucker and Melissa with Weekend Press who brought their screen printing talents to town, making custom t-shirts and goods for a lot of other local businesses, among others.

DAQ’s and Savage Wingz opened– two local young women following their dreams and using their gifts at cooking to provide food and a gathering place for the public. We profiled Green Acres Lake Providence, which opened December 1, as a plant store, wine store, and specialty food market.

Arrests/Charges/Updates

News Staff

Thursday, December 28, 2023

A special session for an East Carroll Parish Grand Jury convened last Wednesday to hear five cases presented by the Sixth Judicial District Attorney’s Office. The grand jury returned true bill indictments against two people, no true bill against two people, and one pretermit.

Crime

News Staff

Thursday, December 28, 2023

The very first day of the new year, newly sworn in Mayor Bobby Amacker was awakened by town employees and informed that there was a visible leak in the town’s water tower. An investigation revealed that the leak was caused by a bullet. No arrests were ever made.

Sheriff Wydette Williams at old Northside Elementary, which will be demolished to make way for a new law enforcement training facility and community center.

Government: Wins and Challenges

News Staff

Thursday, December 28, 2023

We heard from all of the candidates who ran for public office this year through candidate interviews, and interviewed current office holders on their plans for the year of 2023. The town received a F grade from the Louisiana Department of Health for its water system for such deficiencies as treatment techniques and infrastructure problems, which could lead to unsafe drinking water.

Ribbon-cutting at East Carroll School District administration building in December.

Schools

News Staff

Thursday, December 28, 2023

East Carroll Parish Schools and Briarfield Academy had a busy 2023, celebrating students’ athletic and academic achievements, as well as changing policies and upgrading school buildings. The East Carroll school board voted to give themselves a raise early in the year, from $650 a year, plus $50 for extra meetings, to $800 a month, $900 for board president.

Farmers battled extreme heat during the growing season of 2023.

EC Outdoors

News Staff

Thursday, December 28, 2023

The natural environment brought some of our bigger stories this year with record-melting heat, burn bans, historically low water levels in the lake, an institution of a bear season. In other hunting news, we covered the arrival of Chronic Wasting Disease to East Carroll Parish, affecting our deer population. The lake got plenty of attention also with news of new fish stock, the submerging of old Christmas trees for fish habitat, as well as coverage of the invasive silver carp in the lake which are a nuisance for fishermen and leisure boaters.

Repairs continue on the weir on Tensas Bayou.

Infrastructure

News Staff

Thursday, December 28, 2023

Lake Providence received $2 million to create safer streets for pedestrians to travel through town thanks to the police jury, who applied for the funding to build sidewalks in town, and changes in the Louisiana Transportation Alternative Program.