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Jewell House Shelter requests emergency funding from the Caddo Commission | Louisiana

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www.thecentersquare.com – By Emilee Calametti | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-04-02 12:18:00

(The Center Square) — Pittre Walker, a longtime community advocate for youth, stood before the Caddo Commission asking for emergency funding to continue to run the Jewell House Shelter in this week’s work session.

Jewel House opened in 2008, and since has helped young girls and women ages 14-24 in the city have somewhere to go. The youth center is in need of funding to continue to operate. Jewell House Shelter can house up to six girls at any time, and it takes eight employees to run the 24-hour shelter.

“We’ve had a young lady just recently graduated from LSU, went to med school, and she was actually living in a car when she came to us, but she was determined. She was valedictorian of her high school,” said Walker at Monday’s meeting. “She was determined to make a great life for herself.”

Ordinance No. 6526 on new business in the commission looks to amend the budget for the Oil and Gas fund and Riverboat fund to provide $30,000 for youth outreach services doing business as Jewell House.

This ordinance, introduced by Commissioner Stormy Gage-Watts, also notes the funds will be used to provide temporary housing for juvenile girls on probation as an alternative to detention. 

Many grants and funding usually provided to the shelter have not come in yet, pushing Walker to ask the commission for emergency money to operate for the next 90 days.

According to Walker, they work closely with schools, juvenile courts, hospital counselors and other places in the community to help young women who can’t go back home. Unlike other shelters, the Jewell House does not cap the stays at 30 or 45 days.

The Jewell House has a very high success rate of taking in young women and working with them to go off to college and become taxpaying citizens in the community, claimed Walker. 

Walker shared that one girl arrived when she was 14 years old. She remained there until she was 18 and graduated high school. The young girl is now working towards going to college. 

In the future, she has plans to open a “Willy’s Home for Boys” to take in younger men within the city as the Jewell House does for young women. Apart from the OJJ or OCS, Walker said there is nowhere for young boys to go in the community who need help. 

The council voted to advance the motion with nine in support and one opposed. Commissioner John Atkins was the lone vote against the ordinance.

Emilee Ruth Calametti serves as staff reporter for The Center Square covering the Northwestern Louisiana region. She holds her M.A. in English from Georgia State University and soon, an additional M.A. in Journalism from New York University. Emilee has bylines in DIG Magazine, Houstonia Magazine, Bookstr, inRegister, The Click News, and the Virginia Woolf Miscellany. She is a Louisiana native with over seven years of journalism experience.

The post Jewell House Shelter requests emergency funding from the Caddo Commission | Louisiana appeared first on www.thecentersquare.com

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All Hail King Clifton – The Current

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thecurrentla.com – Erin Bass – 2025-07-07 13:00:00

SUMMARY:

Following a recent star-studded tribute, Clifton Chenier, the “King of Zydeco,” has gained renewed attention. Author Todd Mouton spent 32 years researching Chenier’s life and music, culminating in his new book, The King of Zydeco. Chenier, active from 1955 until his death in 1987, transformed zydeco music and broke racial barriers during segregation. Despite health challenges, he performed passionately, influencing generations. Mouton’s book uncovers new truths about Chenier’s legacy and emphasizes his cultural significance as the trunk of zydeco’s musical tree. The book, released alongside tribute events, celebrates and preserves Chenier’s enduring impact on Louisiana’s musical heritage.

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Why Texas Hill Country is one of the deadliest places in the US for flash flooding

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wgno.com – Hatim Sharif Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The University of Texas at San – 2025-07-07 10:18:00

SUMMARY: Texas Hill Country, known for its rugged landscapes and shallow rivers, is a hotspot for deadly flash floods. On July 4, 2025, a severe flash flood hit this region, rapidly raising the Guadalupe River by over 20 feet within 90 minutes, causing significant fatalities. The area’s steep hills, semi-arid soils, and the Balcones Escarpment contribute to fast-moving floodwaters. Texas leads the U.S. in flood deaths, with many in Flash Flood Alley, spanning from Dallas to San Antonio. Improved flood forecasting, better public education on flood risks—especially for drivers—and road barricades during high flood risks are essential for enhancing safety and reducing deaths.

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The post Why Texas Hill Country is one of the deadliest places in the US for flash flooding appeared first on wgno.com

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Morning Forecast – Monday, July 7th

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www.youtube.com – KTVE – 2025-07-07 08:54:12

SUMMARY: The morning forecast for Monday, July 7th, shows mostly clear skies early with a warm and moist airmass in place, leading to a hot, humid day. Patchy to scattered thunderstorms are expected mainly in the afternoon and early evening, with some lingering after sunset. Moisture, heat, and upper-level disturbances will sustain these storms over the next few days. Temperatures will rise from the low-to-mid 70s in the morning to the low-to-mid 90s by late afternoon, potentially reaching upper 90s in southern and eastern areas. An upper-level ridge will fluctuate but generally promote warming through the week.

Skies are mostly clear, bright and early this Monday morning. A very warm and moist airmass remains in place making for another hot and humid day. Patchy to scattered t-storms are possible for this afternoon. Typical summertime pattern with most of the rain will be concentrated mainly in the afternoon and early evening with a few storms lingering just after sunset. Moisture, daytime heat, and upper level disturbances will keep scattered t-storms in the forecast for the next couple of days. Temperatures will be back up on the climb by the late week into the upper 90’s.

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