News

For the second year in a row, Gov. Jeff Landry is asking Louisiana lawmakers to double state funding for vouchers that pay for students’ private education expenses. The request has put him at odds with legislative leaders, who said state education officials still won’t answer basic questions about the program’s structure.

“It looks like a war zone” is the prevailing description of Lake Providence and East Carroll Parish after what looks to be a storm for the record books. The National Weather Service out of Jackson had been predicting for over a week that the parish would receive the brunt of an ice storm that has been crippling to the state.

Renovations to patient rooms at the East Carroll Parish Hospital were placed on a temporary hold by the hospital board at their monthly meeting last Thursday. Hospital administrator LaDonna Englerth informed the board that the state of Louisiana had received $208 million dollars in federal funding under the federal government’s Rural Health Transformation Program. The program was established under President Trump’s Working Families Tax Cuts legislation. Louisiana’s award amount is among the highest in the nation, according to the LDH (Louisiana Department of Health) press release.

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Several young East Carroll Parish residents will compete in the 86th Northeast Louisiana 4-H District Livestock Show in Delhi this week as Livestock Exhibitors. Here, several of the competitors answer questions.

Several warming stations were in the process of being set up in Lake Providence as East Carroll Banner went to press Tuesday morning. Find information at deltainterfaith. org or check its Facebook page for details.

Arrests as of January 26, 2026: East Carroll Parish Sheriff’s Office: 1/14/26 - Justin Gathengs, 20, revocation of bond; attempted second degree murder. No bond.

The East Carroll Banner welcomes letters to the editor about issues or concerns of interest to our community. We would prefer to receive the letters by email, but can accept typed or hand-written letters. Please make sure the letters are addressed to the editor and are signed, along with your name printed clearly, mailing address, phone number, and email.

Bitterly cold weather has settled in across Louisiana and much of the country. If you woke up Monday morning to discover frozen, limp plants outside your window, you might be tempted to trim them or simply discard them to tidy up the garden.

The East Carroll Parish police jury meeting room was packed with people interested in the proceedings of last Tuesday’s regular monthly meeting. President Kendall Thompson banged the gavel multiple times, asking for order, and mostly during the discussion of the eighth agenda item: Approval of a 2-year contract for Secretary-Treasurer Ronata Johnson.