News

Arrests as of January 12, 2026: East Carroll Parish Sheriff’s Office: 1/5/26 - Ulazia Martin, 19, disturbing the peace by fighting. Bond $500.

The LSU AgCenter announced recently $1 million in federal funding that will supercharge ongoing initiatives aimed at stamping out invasive species that threaten agriculture and natural resources in Louisiana and across the Mississippi River valley.

Start the new year with inspiration and reflection at the East Carroll Parish Library’s January Story Walk, featuring I Have a Dream by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., with illustrations by Kadir Nelson.

Two advocates from the Children’s Advocacy Center of Northeast Louisiana were in Lake Providence Tuesday to meet with local partners in an effort to raise awareness for Human Trafficking Month. Lauren Laughlin and Peyton Parker said that they were traveling to all 11 parishes in the northeast Louisiana area meeting with law enforcement and other affiliated organizations enlisting their assistance in getting the message out.

NSU Northwestern State University announced the names of undergraduate students who were named to the Fall 2025 Dean’s List. Those named from East Carroll include Mary Corinne Condrey, Mary Wise, and Cailen Wiltcher.

On the morning of September 4, in the middle of harvesting soybeans, Josh Ward was in a hurry, “as always during harvest,” he said. He was hammering a piece of steel on a disc, without the safety goggles he’d have to retrieve from back at the shop, when he felt a speck of that steel hit his eye. “It was pressure, not pain,” he said. “I didn’t think it was as bad as it was.”

Large parts of the Mississippi River Basin are moving into a drier time of year, and without significant and widespread rainfall, drought is expected to persist and expand across a significant portion of the area. According to Fifth District Levee Board President Reynold Minsky, the river at Lake Providence is below where it ought to be. Minsky said that the low water is significantly impacting shipping. Although the low water hasn’t stopped shipping, it has slowed it down and decreased the weight of materials that can be loaded on the barges.

Together for Hope Louisiana, based in Lake Providence, is celebrating its successful activities over the past year in East Carroll. One of the initiatives was the yearly Bags of Hope bookbag giveaway.

Good Thursday morning, everyone. I hope you all enjoyed the holidays.

The cooler months are ideal for planting many tree species in Louisiana. Staking newly planted trees can offer much-needed support as they start to put down roots — especially in the case of large trees. “When you get that instant effect from a mature tree being put into the landscape, you’ve got a lot of top-heavy growth, but you don’t have the root ball to accommodate that,” said Damon Abdi, assistant professor of landscape horticulture at the LSU AgCenter Hammond Research Station. “Staking is a great method to be able to give a little bit of stability to the tree as it’s integrating into its new landscape.” Staking prevents the root ball from shifting and incurring damage while the tree acclimates to its surroundings. To reap the benefits of staking, however, you must do it properly. Follow these steps from Abdi for the best results. Step 1: Install stakes Gather two to three stakes about 6 feet long. Many people use metal fenceposts or rebar. Place the stakes in the native soil surrounding the tree, spacing them equally.