News

July 2025 THURSDAY 3 DEPT OF PUBLIC SAFETY DRIVER’S LICENSE OFFICE 9am-3pm (lunch 12-1) East Carroll Parish Police J ury office building (old health unit) FRIDAY 4 INDEPENDENCE DAY Light Up the Lake Fireworks • 9pm • in front of Maria's Restaurant SATURDAY 5 SUNDAY 6 MONDAY 7 Chair exercise for adults • 10am • ECP Library TUESDAY 8 SNAP benefit signup 9:30am-3pm East Carroll Parish Community Action Agency WEDNESDAY 9 Chair exercise for adults • 10am • ECP Library THURSDAY 10 .

SNAP benefit signup every Tuesday @ 9:30am-3pm East Carroll Parish Community Action Agency EAST CARROLL PARISH SCHOOL BOARD 1st Tuesday of month @ 6:30 pm • in the Media R oom, Administration building DEPT OF PUBLIC SAFETY DRIVER’S LICENSE OFFICE 1st Thursday of month from 9am-3 pm (lunch 12-1) East Carroll Parish Police Jury office building (old health unit) EAST CARROLL PARISH POLICE JURY 2nd Tuesday of month @ 12 noon • in the Police Jury Meeting Room EAST CARROLL HOUSING AUTHORITY BOARD 2nd Wednesday of month @ 10am • at Housing Authority, Mike Ave. LAKE PROVIDENCE HOUSING AUTHORITY 3rd Thursday of month @ 12 noon LPHA office, Foster St.

Arrests as of June 30, 2025: East Carroll Parish Sheriff’s Office: 6/23/25 - Dennis Mays, 41, charged with domestic abuse battery. No bond set.

Louisiana Book Festival set for Nov. 1 The Louisiana Center for the Book in the State Library of Louisiana announces the return of the Louisiana Book Festival on Saturday, Nov.

The Louisiana Delta Community College in Lake Providence successfully completed a heavy equipment operator class last week. Students from General Trass High School each earned the following certifications: OSHA, CORE, construction site safety orientation, heavy equipment operations – level one and utility tractors.

The addition of a new investigator at the sheriff’s office brings 22 years of experience to East Carroll Parish. Felton Moore, formerly a major with the Madison Parish Sheriff’s office in Tallulah where he worked for 21 years, was appointed investigator for the sheriff’s office four months ago. “I love being in East Carroll,” Moore said. “The atmosphere is very different, more like family.” Moore added that he has appreciated the warm welcome he has received, and credits his easy transition to the superior mentoring of Sheriff Wydette Williams and Investigator Tystin White.

The Louisiana Legislature overwhelmingly approved a $53 billion budget recently without funding for Gov. Jeff Landry’s signature private education voucher initiative, one that he initially celebrated with much fanfare.

Merging schools, Southside Elementary and Griffin Middle Academy, have a new name, a new motto, and according to information from the East Carroll Parish School Board website, a new unity. After soliciting the public’s input, the new name of the school will be Griffin-Southside Lower & Upper Elementary School. The school will house grades pre-kindergarten through seventh grade, with the eighth grade moving to General Trass High School. “Panther Nation! One Pride – one Providence!” was selected as the motto for the school. The motto was adopted to emphasize the school’s identity, pride, and unity among students, staff and families, according to the release. The changes will become effective at the beginning of the 2025-26 school year.

After a five year absence initially caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Fireworks on the Lake is back. East Carroll Parish Sheriff’s Wydette Williams and Maria’s Mexican Restaurant are sponsoring the popular event.

It came as no surprise that East Carroll Parish 4-Hers excelled at the 4-H University camp last week in Baton Rouge. Twelve East Carroll 4-Hers were among the 1,600 students from across the country that attended at Pete Maravich Assembly Center on Louisiana State University’s campus. Lekeisha Lucas, East Carroll Parish 4-H Agent, said that 4-H University was formerly known as “Short Course” before the change in the name.