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🌱 What’s next for Alexandria’s overgrown, historic Arna Bontemps House?

Spotted on the Alexandria calendar: Fighting Hand Brewing Company

Thursday August 20th Patch AM (Patch graphic)

Good morning to you Alexandria! Catch up on our news and events right here. Keep reading to stay in the know. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

  • What's next for Alexandria's overgrown, historic Arna Bontemps House?
  • How long must Alexandria homebuyers now live in assisted homes?
  • Why Alexandria teens face extra vaping risks as school starts back

Also on today's calendar: Exploration.

Today's riddle: Why do fish live in salt water? 🤔 (Answer below!)

From our Partner
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Weather forecast:

  • Thursday: Mostly sunny and hot, with a high of 100 and low of 76 degrees. 🌶 Hot!
  • Friday: Hot; a stray p.m. t-storm, temps: high: 101, low: 74.
  • Saturday: A t-storm around in the p.m., with a high of 101 and low of 75 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. City steps in to address overgrowth at historic downtown homesite (rapidesparishjournal.com) — Alexandria city crews have finally cleared heavy overgrowth around the historic Arna Bontemps House downtown, even as questions linger over the museum's future. With the foundation defunct and the house deteriorating, city planners say enforcement and redevelopment are complicated and costly, leaving residents and officials searching for a path forward for this important cultural landmark.
   

2. New rules for Alexandria homebuyer assistance program (cenlanow.com) — Alexandria has tightened rules for its federally funded Homebuyer Assistance Program, requiring buyers to live in their homes for 5 to 15 years depending on aid received. Eligible low- to moderate-income residents can still get up to $55,000 toward a home inside city limits, plus access to rehabilitation funds and priority help for seniors through the Community Development Department.
   

3. Back-to-school stress: Advocate warns of vaping, tobacco pressures on students (ksla.com) — As Alexandria students head back to class, a local tobacco prevention advocate is warning families that school stress and peer pressure can push teens toward vaping and other tobacco use. She urges kids to lean on trusted adults instead and notes Louisiana's teen vaping rate is among the nation's highest, making early conversations and support especially important for Central Louisiana families.
   

4. Louisiana Central Wins Two Major SEDC Honors (klax-tv.com) — An Alexandria-based nonprofit, Louisiana Central, just earned two top Southern Economic Development Council awards for its entrepreneur support program and a 10-parish roadshow showcasing Central Louisiana manufacturers. The recognition highlights how local coaching, funding, and storytelling are helping create jobs, grow scalable businesses, and raise the region's profile far beyond Alexandria.
   

5. Ninth Judicial District Court judge appointed to Judiciary Commission of Louisiana (rapidesparishjournal.com) — A former Alexandria chief of police, now Ninth Judicial District Court Judge Loren Lampert, has been appointed to the Judiciary Commission of Louisiana for a four-year term. His long career in prosecution, policing, and judicial leadership means Alexandria's legal community will have a direct voice in statewide judicial oversight and ethics decisions.
   

📸 Around Alexandria

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Alexandria

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★ Featured events ★

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Other local events
    Saturday September 12
  • Exploration →
    Coughlin Saunders Performing Arts Center, 1202 3rd St, Alexandria
    7:30 pm
  • Tuesday September 15
  • Estate Planning Essentials →
    Rapides Parish Library Westside Regional Library, 5416 Provine Pl, Alexandria
    10:00 am

📣 Alexandria Shout Outs!

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🗓 Events Nearby

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Recent duplex cleanout here in Alexandria.
    It's pretty satisfying seeing a property go from completely overwhelmed with junk to cleared out and ready for what's next. (Nextdoor South Alexandria)
  • Legends Global posted a job opening for Ticket Seller in Alexandria. Apply here.
  • Government Jobs posted a job opening for Maintenance Worker Sr, Parks & Recreation in Alexandria. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Alexandria here.

Ok Alexandria! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: Pepper makes them sneeze (Thank you Karla H. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!

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