Nola Jean Ernest, MD, PhD, FAAP, a community pediatrician in Enterprise, Alabama and a native of St. James Parish, Louisiana, began her term on Oct. 1, 2022 as president of the Alabama Chapter-American Academy of Pediatrics (AL-AAP), an 850-member statewide society of pediatricians.
Patricia “Ducy’ Schexnayder, a former member of the St. James Parish School Board, passed away after a brief illness.
The Gramercy Aldermen met for their monthly meeting last week and the Board conducted several items of Town business and Mayor Steve Nosacka reported on major infrastructure improvements and capital investments the Aldermen have completed over the last four years.
Garbage collection throughout St. James Parish, including Lutcher and Gramercy, will soon become automated. In the next few weeks, all residents will receive a new 96-gallon garbage can equipped for automated collection. Residents will also be educated about where and how to place their cans for collection. The new service results from negotiations for garbage service collection. The current contract expires at the end of this month and the new contract begins November 1st. The expiring contract cost just over $17.00 per household and the Parish has paid/subsidize $12.48 of that amount for customers living outside the Towns of Lutcher and Gramercy and utilities customers paid only $5.00 a month for twice weekly service. The difference was paid through the Solid Waste budget, which is funded by a $.25 cent sales tax. Sales tax collections have been declining and Parish officials have yet to decide how much of the new contract amount they will subsidize, but said they wanted to keep the customer cost as low as possible. Under the new contract, the amount of twice weekly collection is $20.38 per month, and for now the Parish will continue to pay a large portion of that amount. Each garbage can is assigned an identification number and the new garbage trucks will be equipped with GPS and Wifi, making it possible for the driver to send the customer an email informing them of time of pickup.
Commodities will be distributed via drive through on a first come, first served basis to all registered applicants. Identification will be required to pick up commodities. To be eligible to receive commodities, an individual must be a resident of St. James Parish and meet the income guidelines below.
2290 Texas St.
Lutcher, LA 70071
PH: (225) 869-5784