9-20-23
A PALLET OF ALLIGATOR MEAT FELL ONTO A PORTION OF NORTHEAST EVANGELINE THRUWAY YESTERDAY AFTERNOON. THE INTERSECTION WITH MUDD AVENUE WAS CLOSED FOR AWHILE TO CLEAN UP THE ROADWAY. A PALLET CONTAINING LARGE BOXES OF THE ALLIGATOR MEAT FELL OFF OF A TRUCK. THAT SECTION OF EVANGELINE THRUWAY IS NOW CLEAR.
VERMILLION PARISH FIREFIGHTERS WERE CALLED OUT YESTERDAY AFTERNOON TO TRY TO EXTINGUISH AN OUT OF CONTROL FIRE ON WILMER ROAD NEAR ERATH. THREE MEN WERE TRYING TO START A TRASH FIRE USING AN OPEN FLAME PROPANE TORCH, ACCORDING TO SHERIFF MIKE COUVILLON. HE SAYS THE TORCH CAUSED GRASS TO IGNITE. COUVILLON SAYS THE THREE MEN HAVE BEEN CITED FOR VIOLATION OF A STATEWIDE BURN BAN AND FIRE RAISING ON THE LANDS OF ANOTHER.
LAST FRIDAY, HOLLY BEACH RESIDENTS REPORTED THOUSANDS OF DEAD FISH ON THE COASTLINE. THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH CONFIRMED THAT TWO FISHING COMPANIES REPORTED NET TEARS LEADING TO FISH SPILLS. THE TWO COMPANIES, OCEAN HARVESTERS AND WESTBANK FISHERIES, WORKED TOGETHER TO REMOVE THE FISH AND CLEAR UP HOLLY BEACH BY EARLY SATURDAY. OCEAN HARVESTERS SAYS IN A PRESS RELEASE THAT THE INDUSTRY WILL BE SWITCHING TO STRONGER NETS NEXT YEAR, WHICH SHOULD REDUCE THE LIKELIHOOD OF FUTURE TEARS.
A GREEN COVERING IS COATING THE POND AT GIRARD PARK AND IT IS DUCKWEED, ACCORDING TO PARKS AND RECREATION PROGRAMS AND MAINTENANCE MANAGER ROSS GRESHAM. HE SAYS IT MAY NOT LOOK NICE BUT IT IS NOT DANGEROUS. HE SAYS DUCKS ARE EVEN KNOWN TO EAT IT AND VISITORS CAN STILL FISH THE POND. GRESHAM TELLS THE ADVOCATE NEWSPAPER A NEW AERATION SYSTEM INSTALLED AT THE POND BY NEXT SPRING WILL HAVE A LONG TERM IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY OF THE POND.
THE WATER WAS SHUT OFF LATE LAST NIGHT IN SAINT MARTINVILLE TO FIX WATER LEAKS AND THE CITY IS UNDER A BOIL WATER ADVISORY. MAYOR JASON WILLIS SAYS THEY ARE GETTING AROUND FOUR TO SIX LEAKS A DAY AND SOME OF THE LEAKS REQUIRED SHUTTING DOWN THE WATER SYSTEM IN ORDER TO FIX THEM. HE BLAMED THE DROUGHT WHICH, HE SAYS, IS CAUSING THE GROUND TO SPLIT AND PIPES TO BURST. WILLIS SAYS HOPEFULLY THEY WON’T HAVE ANY MAJOR LEAKS IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS AND, IF THEY DO, HE’S HOPING THEY CAN BE REPAIRED WITHOUT SHUTTING OFF THE WATER.
THE STATE FIRE MARSHAL’S OFFICE SAYS A MORGAN CITY WOMAN IS FACING CHARGES IN CONNECTION WITH A DOUBLE FATAL FIRE IN BAYOU VISTA. DANIELLE DUNCAN REPORTS.
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THE ACADIA PARISH POLICE JURY HAS CONDITIONALLY APPROVED A PERMIT APPLICATION BY LIGHTSOURCE B-P TO BUILD A SOLAR FARM IN MOWATA. SOME REVISIONS TO THE APPLICATION WERE RECOMMENDED BY AN ENGINEER AND, ONCE THEY ARE COMPLETED, THE APPLICATION WILL BE APPROVED. LIGHTSOURCE B-P SAYS ON THEIR WEBSITE THAT THE TWO HUNDRED THIRTY-SEVEN MILLION DOLLAR PROJECT WILL DELIVER ELECTRICITY INTO THE LOCAL GRID, HELPING WITH LOUISIANA’S ENERGY INDEPENDENCE AND SECURITY. THEY ARE PROMISING TWO HUNDRED FIFTY TO THREE HUNDRED FIFTY JOBS DURING THE PEAK OF CONSTRUCTION AND A SIX MILLION DOLLAR ANNUAL INVESTMENT WILL BE MADE TO MAINTAIN THE FARM AND THE SURROUNDING PROPERTY.
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MORE THAN TWENTY YEARS, THE RICE THEATRE IN CROWLEY WILL BE GETTING RENOVATIONS. TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN STATE FUNDING WILL BE USED TO HELP RESTORE THE THEATRE. THE RENOVATIONS INCLUDE THE INSTALLATION OF AN AIR CONDITIONER, A NEW EXTERIOR AND UPDATED SOUND AND LIGHT SYSTEMS. AMBER HARTGRAVE OF CROWLEY MAIN STREET SAYS THEY ARE HOPING THE IMPROVEMENTS WILL BE FINISHED BY NEXT YEAR’S KID’S DAY AND INTERNATIONAL RICE FESTIVAL.
