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Published July 15, 2009
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Call the News Booster Office at 318-339-7242 and
Find Out How!
First phase of demolition set for this Friday
114 homes and businesses to be evacuated (published July 15, 2009)
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A mandatory evacuation of Jonesville residences and businesses will begin at 9
a.m. on Friday, July 17. All businesses and homes from Black River west to
Willow St., then from Tenth St. on the south side of town to Little River on
the north side will be evacuated (See map for details) until notified during
the evening hours to return by State Police. Approximately 114 homes and
businesses will be evacuated.
This evacuation is necessary for the safety of residents and businesses and was
established by the Louisiana State Police Emergency Services Unit.
Mayor Hiram Evans and the Jonesville Town Council ask for those within the
evacuation area to please seek shelter elsewhere this Friday. For those unable
to find other accommodations, shelter will be provided by the Town of
Jonesville as a last resort. Please contact the Town Hall or JPD for
instructions.
The Jonesville Police Department will be closed at 9 a.m. Friday morning until
the evacuation order ends. JPD's communication center will be set up at the
Jonesville Town Hall, located at 404 Third St., during the evacuation. The
phone number to contact JPD will be 318-339-8596. Residents with emerg
encies should contact the Catahoula Parish Sheriff's Department.
Traffic on U.S. Hwy 84 will be shut down from 12:30 p.m. until reopened by the
State Police.
Three other demolition phases are tentatively set to follow on July 18 at 5
p.m., July 23 at 2 p.m., and July 25 at an undetermined time.
On Saturday, July 18, traffic will be stopped on U.S. Hwy 84 at 4:15 p.m. and
reopened by the State Police following the demolition of the approaches on the
east side of Black River.
Another evacuation will be set for July 23 when the main span of the bridge will
be brought down. This explosion will be set off by Richard Griffing, the winner
of the Catahoula Parish Historical Society's Blast the Past drawing. Next
week's News Booster will contain the details of this evacuation.
On July 25, the final phase of demolition is scheduled to be completed. Again,
check next week's News Booster for more detailed information.
Police Jury’s financial woes keep growing (published July 15, 2009)
The police jury meeting drew a large crowd Monday evening even with the lack of
air conditioning throughout the courthouse.
According to police jury president Libby Ford, both compressors are out in the
air conditioning system. The first compressor went out several weeks ago and
could not be repaired so a new one was ordered. Then the second compressor went
out. Parts were ordered to repair it and were installed last Thursday. Within
two hours, that compressor went out again, and jurors were told it would be
another two weeks before the parts would be in. The company is estimating the
new compressor should be installed by the end of the week.
The delay in getting parts is due to the age of the system, said Mrs. Ford.
In the meantime, Judge Leo Boothe issued a court order stating that all of the
offices in the courthouse could open at 8 AM and close at 12 noon while the air
conditioning system was out.
Mrs. Ford said she has been in contact with Noble Ellington and Neil Riser
trying to get some help getting funds. Both men have assured her they will do
everything they can to try and get funding for a new air conditioning system
for the courthouse.
Sam Wilkerson, board member of Catahoula Parish E911, asked jurors to pay for the repairs to the generator for
the 911 office. Jurors pointed out that it was not the police jury's
responsibility to pay for the repairs. They noted that the tax paid by the
citizens of the parish on their telephone bills is to be used to run the 911
office and take care of maintenance needs. Wilkerson insisted that the police
jury was responsible for the repairs. Mrs. Ford reminded him that the jury does
not pay for repairs for any of the numerous boards that function under the
jury,
such as the hospital board, for one. Each board handles their own expenses.
Jurors also heard from the maintenance barn employees, who asked for pay raises.
The raises were denied with the jurors explaining that there was no money to
cover them.
Juror Benny Vault, Jr., stated, "We all would like to have a raise, but it's not
possible at this time." The maintenance barn
employees compared their salaries with the surrounding parishes, pointing out that they
were paid less for the same positions. Vault said,
“I sympathize with you, and we understand.” He went on to explain that the maximum pay for police jurors is $1,600 a month, but they (Catahoula
Parish police jurors) leave $1,000 a month on the table because they know the
parish can't afford it.
The annual savings to the parish from jurors accepting less pay is $108,000, or
nine jurors multiplied by $1,000 for 12 months.
Unfortunately, even that savings is not enough to relieve the parish of its debt
load.
During the discussion of pay raises, maintenance barn secretary TeRan Book
turned in her resignation effective July 27th.
The jurors went into executive session for personnel matters, and after
returning to regular session, the meeting was adjourned.
Two SI men nabbed on drug charges (published July 15, 2009)
Jonesville Police arrested two Sicily Island men on drug charges last week during a traffic stop.
Levi Drumgoole, 50, of 137 Loop Rd., Sicily Island, and Ben Hatten, Sr., 62, of
1972 A Ditto Rd., Sicily Island, were charged with possession of marijuana with
intent to distribute, possession of CDS with intent to distribute, and
possession of drug paraphernalia.
Richard Griffing wins drawing to ‘Blast the Past’ (published July 15, 2009)
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