News

West Bank residents packed the Council chambers last week for the St. James Parish Council meeting. Prior to the meeting, State Supreme Court Justice John Weimer administered the oath of office to newly-elected District 6 Councilwoman Vondra Etienne-Steib, the first woman to serve on the council.

Also prior to the regular meeting, the first of two public hearings was held on a proposed ordinance amending the St. James Parish Land Use Plan to change the designation of an area in District 5 from “Residential/Future Industrial” to “Residential Growth”. District 5 Councilman Clyde Cooper asked to change the designation to preserve some space in his district for residential growth.

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By Pam Folse

“The audacity of the Port Commission to come and tell us what to do,” said District 1 St. James Parish School Board Member Diana Cantillo during the School Board meeting held Tuesday, April 10th in Lutcher.

District 4 Member Dianne Spencer said, “What the Port Commission proposes is unconscionable.”

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By David Reynaud

When CN Railroad installed crossing arms at the South Airline railroad track, Gramercy’s East Railroad Avenue became impassable and shut off for public use.

Since the installation of the safety arms, the Town has designed a relocation of East Railroad, but in order to complete the projet and reopen the avenue for public use, the Town needs 600 sq/feet of property from the AFLCIO Hall property, which is presently owned by the United Food and Commercial Workers Union.

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By Pam Folse

The St. James Parish Council voted last week to oppose the Port of South Louisiana’s plan to bypass the St. James Parish Land Use Plan to locate an industrial facility on river-front property classified as residential in District 6.

According to the resolution, the Port of South Louisiana has informed parish officials that it intends to allow the construction of an industrial facility on property it purchased last year, located between St. James Street and Simon Street along the River Road, which is classified for residential growth.

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On Wednesday, March 28th, the Lutcher High School Art Club was recognized as the Grand Prize Winner by the South Central Regional Safety Coalition's 5th Annual "Capturing Safety through the Eyes of a Teen" 2017-18 Traffic Safety Video Contest, sponsored by Shell and State Farm.

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By David Reynaud

Meteorologists with the National Weather Service (NWS) report last Saturday’s EF-1 Tornado originated in Hester and then traveled east and damaged homes and property along Grand Point’s Oak Grove Drive, Bourbon Lane and St. Joseph Street and then crossed LA 642 and completely destroyed one home and damaged another before dissipating just before the Paulina Park.

According to the NWS, an EF-1 Tornado is a one with maximum winds between 86-110 mph. The NWS also predicts the twister was roughly 50-yards wide.

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Police and investigators believe a fire in Gramercy last Thursday, that destroyed and or severley damaged three homes, was a result of an arsonist.

When St. James Parish Volunteer Fire Department firefighters, who were joined by St. John Parish firefighters, finally extinguished the house fire last Thursday morning in Gramercy, the house where the fire initiated, as well as a mobile home and a neighboring house, were turned to ashes and/or severely burned and damaged.

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