August, 2023

• 21 August

  Sue Ellen Ludwig Kennedy

  

  A memorial service for Ms. Sue Ellen Ludwig Kennedy, age 71, of Farmerville, La, will be announced at a later date. Mrs. Kennedy was a 1969 graduate of Farmerville High School. She was a housewife before going to work with Kilpatrick and Central American Life Insurance Company as a secretary in their Farmerville, Union Parish, office for many years. Mrs. …

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• 21 August

  Frances Detraz

  Ms. Frances was a graduate from Mount Carmel High School and attended The University South Louisiana. She was a secretary for the Vermillion Police Jury for over 23 years and was a member of the Saint James Catholic Church. She loved her family and especially her grandchildren and great grandchildren. Ms. Frances died peacefully on her birthday. The family would …

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• 18 August

  Origin Bank debacle is going to leave a mark

  

  By Luke Britt/Editor Now that the dust has settled around the Landfill Assurance Trust Fund interest rate flap and the parish stands to reap healthy interest earnings for, at least, the next 18 months, it seems appropriate to assess how the community responded to that embarrassing financial misstep. While the citizens of Union Parish were in no way responsible for …

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• 18 August

  Auto insurance rates should be going down, not up!

  

  Headlines across Louisiana blared out in recent weeks that automobile insurance rates in the state will see a huge increase.  State Farm, whose rate request was rubber stamped by the Department of Insurance, will increase its rates by an average of 17.3%. Progressive Insurance Company will increase just over 10% while Allstate will jump up 18%, GEICO by more than …

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• 18 August

  Spearsville area may see windfall from lithium mining

  

  By Luke Britt/Editor Spearsville Mayor Karen Black seldom gets three phone calls a month from people looking to invest in her quiet corner of Northeast Louisiana, so when she recently received three such calls in a single afternoon she said she knew something was up. “Someone called about economic development in the area, then someone who wanted to purchase some …

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• 18 August

  Legislators deliver $500,000 to purchase, renovate UP Museum

  

  By Luke Britt/Editor The muses, those nymphs of Greek mythology believed to inspire all art and knowledge, have been whispering in the ears of Union Parish’s legislative delegation, and fortunately, Rep. Chris Turner and Sen. Stewart Cathey were listening. On Tuesday, Turner and Cathey were on hand to announce a $500,000 capital outlay for the Union Museum of History and …

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• 15 August

  UP man sues men allegedly behind Marion Spencer Facebook page

  

  By Luke Britt/Editor A Marion man is suing three men linked to a Union Parish Facebook page that published a post he says wrongly accused him of making a political contribution in exchange for favorable treatment from Union Parish Sheriff Dusty Gates and that the post also revealed private information, including his social security number, to the public. The lawsuit …

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• 15 August

  Candidates qualify for October 14 primary elections

  

  Six candidates claim victorybefore a single vote is cast Staff Report The qualification period for the October primary elections ended Thursday, and six local races appear to have already been decided. Incumbent Clerk of Court Dodi Eubanks and incumbent Tax Assessor Lance Futch are unopposed, giving them de facto victories for those offices. Coroner Renee Smith chose not to seek …

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• 15 August

  Once in a blue moon event on tap

  

  If you’ve been waiting for that special something that happens once in a blue moon, this may be your lucky month – and you’ve got three weeks to prepare for it. A blue moon will occur Aug. 31. Sallie HollisSallie Rose Hollis is a native of Rocky Branch and retired Journalism Professer from Louisiana Tech University. Contact her at sallierose@mail.com. …

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• 15 August

  War in the desert – America at best

  

  By Tuffy Fields I can’t believe it’s been thirty-four years. Occasionally events happen in our lives that are so indelible in one’s mind that the event remains crystal clear over the years. So vivid are these memories that they feel as if they happened only yesterday. For me one of these occasions was the invasion of Kuwait by Iraq; an …

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