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Shreveport council members approve funding allocation for fire station | Louisiana

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www.thecentersquare.com – By Emilee Calametti | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-04-09 07:00:00

(The Center Square) — Shreveport City Council approved funding for the reconstruction of Fire Station No. 20 during this week’s city council meeting.

After being closed for nearly two years after officials found mildew and mold throughout the establishment, Fire Station 20 is on the way to being reconstructed. The city council approved two ordinances that looked to allocate funds and change budgets for the station.

However, Council member Grayson Boucher proposed amendments to the ordinances during the session. The amendment to Ordinance 20 changed the amount listed after the city received funds from the Port. These funds changed how much the city needed to allocate for the station renovations.

After the amendment, only $733,000 needed to be transferred to Capital Projects instead of the original $1.6 million. 

The ordinance originally intended to move $1.6 million from the General Fund operating reserve to Capital Projects for Station 20’s reconstruction. The city planned to invoice the Port for $867,000.

Before the amendment, ordinance 20 would decrease operating reserves by $1.6 million and increase transfer to Capital Projects by $1.6 million. After receiving the Port’s portion of the project, that number is now $733,000. 

The ordinances passed with six for, and one opposed. Council member Jim Taliaferro voted against both ordinances and amendments. 

While the ordinances did pass, the council did not address Mayor Tom Arceneaux’s previous concerns about where the funding was coming from.

Arceneaux urged the council in a previous meeting to change the funding source for the allocation. He said using the operating reserve could severely impact the city’s borrowing cost if the operating reserve dropped below the pledged 8%, which would happen if used for the fire station project.

He proposed using unassigned premium funds for the project instead.

Fire Chief Clarence Reese did not give an update about the renovations after the two ordinances passed.

Other legislation passed was Ordinance 8, which amended Chapter 38 of the city of Shreveport’s Code of Ordinances relating to dumpsters on residential property.

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.

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News from the South - Louisiana News Feed

New Orleans City Council overrides Mayor Cantrell’s veto on French Quarter trash contract, Charity Hospital

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wgno.com – Ashley Hamilton – 2025-07-10 16:11:00

SUMMARY: The New Orleans City Council voted 5-1 to override Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s emergency declaration, allowing Henry Consulting to take over trash collection in the French Quarter. Council President JP Morrell criticized the mayor for overstepping by ending IV Waste’s contract early and awarding Henry Consulting the contract without proper process. Residents and businesses favor keeping IV Waste, and concerns were raised about the quick contractor change. The city defends the emergency contract and selection process, emphasizing Henry Consulting’s top ranking in a competitive RFP. Henry Consulting expects to begin service on July 31. The council also overrode Cantrell’s veto on funding for Charity Hospital redevelopment.

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Kerrville native living in New Orleans reflects on heartbreak in his hometown

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www.youtube.com – WDSU News – 2025-07-10 10:26:51

SUMMARY: Parker Kennedy, a Kerrville native now living in New Orleans, reflects on the devastating flooding affecting his small hometown. Once a community of 20,000, Kerrville has been thrust into heartbreaking headlines due to the tragedy, including loss of life impacting people Parker personally knows. Though his family is safe, the pain is deep as he mourns friends lost, including a close friend’s daughter. Motivated to help, Parker is donating 10% of all sales from his Uptown New Orleans store in July to Kerrville relief foundations, supporting survivors and animals. He honors the memories of those lost and wants others to know Kerrville’s unique spirit beyond this tragedy.

Kerrville native living in New Orleans reflects on heartbreak in his hometown

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Marines to assist ICE at Louisiana detention centers

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thecurrentla.com – Alena Maschke – 2025-07-10 09:15:00

SUMMARY: Up to 200 Marines are deploying to Louisiana to support ICE by performing administrative, logistical, and clerical duties at detention facilities. They will not engage in law enforcement or have direct contact with detainees. This is part of a broader mobilization approved in May, involving up to 700 troops across several states, including Florida and Texas. Louisiana holds the second-largest immigrant detainee population after Texas, with facilities often operating over capacity. The Pine Prairie ICE Processing Center, near Lafayette, is nearly twice over capacity and has faced repeated complaints about human rights abuses and unsanitary conditions. ICE continues expanding its detention network amid rising detainee numbers.

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