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Leesville Leader
WEATHER UPDATE: Another bout of severe weather awaits SW La.
Another bout of severe weather and heavy rainfall awaits Southwest Louisiana today. National Weather Service Lake Charles meteorologist Donald Jones said multiple rounds of rain will roll through the area through Friday night, possibly Saturday morning. “The good news is I think we’re going to get all of the activity out of here by Saturday […]
New photography exhibit opens Saturday at Leesville art gallery
By Emily Burleigh An opening reception for a new photography exhibit, “The Thing About Trains” will be held at GALLERY ONE EIIIEVEN at 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 18. The exhibit is about trains, and those that ride and operate them. It features over 60 photographs of steam trains and locomotives shot by the family […]
SW La. not done with wet weather forecasts
Southwest Louisiana is looking at another round of heavy rainfall and possible flash flooding Thursday and Friday — along with a low-end risk for severe weather. The combination of an upper-level storm system and an incoming front containing an abundance of moisture will provide the perfect combination for periods of heavy rainfall starting Thursday afternoon, […]
Leesville Council looking to curb park vandalism
By Emily Burleigh The Leesville City Council is asking residents to help curve vandalism in Myrtle Park, 1103 King’s Rd. At the City Council meeting on Monday, Councilmember-at-large Phillip Hunt expressed aggravation at ongoing vandalism in Leesville parks, specifically Myrtle Park — a park that features a basketball court, frisbee golf course, pickleball courts, playground equipment […]
Northwestern State honors local graduates
NATCHITOCHES — Several Southwest Louisiana students were among those honored by Northwestern State University during spring commencement exercises that took place this week. Local graduates include: Anacoco — Katelyn Haymon, Bachelor of General Studies; Lindsey Alligood, Isabella McCall, Hunter Rabalais, Jennifer Thornton, Bachelor of Science. DeRidder — Kynadee Delome, Associate of Science in Nursing; Haydn […]
Holley Fontenot loves to help students develop as writers, critical thinkers
By Emily Burleigh At St. Louis Catholic High School, Holley Fontenot, 38, gets to pursue her two passions: literature and language. She teaches French at every high school grade level and AP English IV to seniors. While both subjects have their differences, they are both “rooted in developing global citizens with an appreciation for different […]
Fort Johnson a driving economic force for central, SW La.
By Emily Burleigh Fort Johnson is an economic tether for Vernon Parish — and the Louisiana Armed Forces Alliance (LAFA) aims to continue to grow the installation’s impact. Military installations bolster local economies, said Avon Knowlton, executive director of LAFA. In 2022, the military impact of military assets, contractor and military spending in Louisiana totaled […]
Sowela offering emergency medical training at Leesville campus
Sowela Technical Community College’s Office of Workforce Solutions is now registering for Emergency Medical Training (EMT) with classes meeting Tuesday and Thursday evenings and one Saturday a month starting Tuesday, June 25 — a convenient training option for individuals who are working and want to upskill their credentials or make a career change. Students will […]
Fish consumption advisory issued for Vernon Lake
The Louisiana Departments of Health, Environmental Quality and Wildlife and Fisheries have issued a fish consumption advisory for Vernon Lake. The state issues precautionary advisories when unacceptable levels of mercury are detected in fish or shellfish. The Department of Environmental Quality conducts fish sampling. LDH then uses this data to determine the need for additional […]
Donna Barger: Teaching ‘feeds my soul’
By Emily Burleigh Donna Barger, 65, has been a part of Our Lady Queen of Heaven school for the majority of her life. She is an OLQHS alumni (so is her husband and daughter) and has been a faculty member for 37 years. OLQHS is a “ second family” to her. “It is a place […]
Merchants & Farmers Bank promoting financial literacy through comics
By Emily Burleigh Merchants & Farmers Bank has collaborated with Marvel Comics and Visa to nurture financial literacy in local communities. Bank locations in Calcasieu and Vernon parishes are handing out free custom edition comic books while supplies last. The special editions of “Black Panther,” “Avengers,” and “Guardians of the Galaxy” were created by Marvel […]
Patriot Brigade takes time to forge resilient warriors
By Chuck Cannon The motto of Fort Johnson is “Forging the Warrior Spirit.” The 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, has taken that motto a step further by forging resilient warriors. Chaplain (Capt.) Jacob Brooks, 710 Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd BCT, 10th Mtn Div, said spiritual readiness initiatives — part of the Army’s Spiritual Fitness […]
Martha ‘Ann’ Wilrye drives students to school, teaches when she gets there
By Emily Burleigh Martha “Ann” Wilrye, 38, has always loved to help. It has been her passion for as long as she can remember. She was taught the art of aid by observing how others supported her when she was young. Wilrye was especially influenced by the care and attention her grade school teachers gave […]
Leesville Volunteers of the Year: ‘We love this community’
By Emily Burleigh Chris and Jennifer Ausbun are the city of Leesville’s Volunteers of the Year. The couple was presented the award at the Leesville City Council meeting on Monday. Mayor Rick Allen said the Ausbuns — who are some of his “favorite people” — were honored because of their work at the recently opened […]
Jessica Veulema: Education the only career right for me
By Emily Burleigh Jessica Veuleman has a gift for instilling the love of writing in her fifth-grade students. She has taught fifth-grade English language arts for 11 years at LeBleu Settlement Elementary. In those years, she has found the last year of elementary school is a critical time to ensure students gain an appreciation for […]
Vernon school lunch menus April 15-19
The following menus for April 15-19 for Vernon schools have been submitted by supervisors of food services. Menus are subject to change. Lunch MONDAY: Steak finger basket, mashed potatoes, Italian season green beans, peaches, whole wheat roll. TUESDAY: Beef and cheese pizza, steamed whole-kernel corn, mixed fruit, ice cream cup. WEDNESDAY: Oven-baked chicken, steamed cabbage, […]
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