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9/11 anniversary: Remembering those for whom the bell tolls

By Emily Burleigh The values that guided those during the events of Sept. 11, 2001, live on through ...

Local

‘It is really tragic’: Wildfires wipe out income for Louisiana forest landowners

By Olivia McClure  WESTPORT— In west-central Louisiana, where wildfires have ravaged thousands of acres of drought-stricken forests in ...

Lifestyle

Vernon Parish school lunch menus Sept.11-15

The following menus for Sept. 11-15 for Vernon Parish schools have been submitted by supervisors of food services. ...

Local

Grant bringing new life to historic National Hotel

By Emily Burleigh With the help of a $55,000 grant, Leesville Main Street is becoming a historic business ...

Local

VIDEO: Benoit Motors Teacher of the Week surprise

Watch as W.T. Henning Elementary fifth-grader teacher Leslie Mire McFarland is notified she is this week’s Benoit Motors ...

Local

Benoit Motors Teacher of the Week: Leslie McFarland ‘blessed to be a small part of a child’s journey’

By Emily Burleigh Leslie Mire McFarland, 47, emulates the teacher who inspired her to become an educator. She ...

Local

Traveling Leesville exhibit returning home

By Emily Burleigh The globe-trotting exhibition “Four Artists from the Neutral Strip” is returning home to Leesville this ...

Local

UPDATE: Tiger Island Fire 65 percent contained

By Emily Burleigh Firefighters with the Southern Area Red incident Management team are still working to extinguish four ...

Local

Investigators: Tiger Island Fire started ‘intentionally’ in secluded area of forested property

By Emily Burleigh The Tiger Island Fire was caused by arson, said state officials have confirmed. The Louisiana ...

Local

Sheriff: ‘Situation better, but we are not out of the woods yet’

Voluntary evacuations remain in place for the Junction community, north of Merryville, as firefighters spent their Labor Day ...

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News

La. Guard aviation assets drop over 1 million gallons of water to combat persistent wildfires

Special to the News Leader NEW ORLEANS – Since Louisiana National Guard aviation assets began water-drop missions on August ...

Local

Fort Johnson honors National Airborne Day

By Keith Morrow / Fort Johnson Air Officer Aug. 16 may be just another day to some, but to a ...

Local

Crews continue to battle Tiger Island Fire as it reaches pine plantations

By Emily Burleigh The Tiger Island Fire — located east of Merryville — is burning in pine plantations ...

Local

Wildfire victims may be eligible for SNAP replacements

By Emily Burleigh Families and individuals on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that have been affected by ...

Local

BREAKING: Governor visits Vernon Parish, thanks first responders for ‘heroic work’

Gov. John Bel Edwards conducted a flyover of wildfire damage in Sabine and Vernon parishes Saturday afternoon, thanking ...

Local

Broadband meeting Aug. 25 in Leesville

By Emily Burleigh Later this month, Vernon Parish residents will have the opportunity to get clarity on upcoming ...

Local

SW La. students named to dean’s list at Northwestern State

Seven hundred and twenty-seven undergraduate students were named to the spring 2023 dean’s list at Northwestern State University. ...

News

Weather watchers monitoring disturbance in Gulf of Mexico

The National Hurricane Center is monitoring an area in the Gulf of Mexico and two other areas in ...

Local

Governor declares state of emergency for extreme heat 

A slight bit of rest is in store for a heat-weary Southwest Louisiana as a weak cold front ...

News

Vernon sheriff runs unopposed for re-election

Vernon Parish Sheriff Sam Craft, Assessor Michael Bealer and Coroner Shawn Granger, all Republicans, ran unopposed for re-election. ...