Press Releases
Alexandria, La. (March 2, 2020) — Investigators have released the names of the woman and her three grandchildren killed in a house fire in the early morning hours of March 1. Victims were Verlana Cooper, 48, Jadyn Cooper, 7, Brooklyn Cooper, 4, and Drya Reign Russaw, 4 months. The fire was reported in the 3400 block of Wainwright Street at 11:46 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 29, and firefighters were on scene for seven hours. The fire remains under investigation. Officials will be waiting on the results of autopsies, which are scheduled to be conducted today, as well as other lab tests before an...
Alexandria, La. (March 1, 2020)— One adult and three children died in an early morning fire on Wainwright Street.
The fire started around midnight. The victim’s names are not being released at this time.
The fire remains under investigation. Agencies involved in the investigation include the State Fire Marshal, Alexandria Fire Department, Alexandria Police Department and the Rapides Parish District Attorney’s Office.
Contact:
Jim Smilie
Communications
318.449.5038
318.730.1683
jim.smilie@cityofalex.com
Alexandria, La. (Feb. 28, 2020) — In coordination with the Louisiana Department of Transportation’s scheduled close of the four-way intersection of Jackson Street, Horseshoe Drive, Twin Bridges Road and Lodi Road, the City of Alexandria has announced local alternate routes. The closure of the streets is slated to begin Monday, March 2, and is expected to last until July for the construction of a roundabout. In the interim, drivers will need to take alternative routes. To decrease traffic congestion, motorists are advised to avoid the construction area as much as possible. For those needing to...
Alexandria, La. (Feb. 25, 2020) — The City of Alexandria has applied for $18.1 million in funding from the Louisiana Watershed Initiative. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) approved the State of Louisiana’s action plan to spend $1.2 billion in Community Development Block Grant Mitigation funds to move forward with projects to drastically reduce flood risks for communities throughout the state. “Flooding is a significant issue locally and throughout the state,” noted Alexandria Mayor Jeffrey W. Hall. “As I have said before, these projects are very costly and we will...
Alexandria, La. (Feb. 25, 2020) — Alexandria Mayor Jeffrey W. Hall joined local historic preservation supporters Tuesday afternoon in the Alexander Fulton Mini Park downtown to unveil a historical marker in honor of P.B.S. Pinchback, Louisiana’s first African-American governor. “It is fitting that we honor P.B.S. Pinchback, the first African-American Governor of Louisiana, during Black History Month,” Hall said. “Gov. Pinchback was a significant force in Louisiana politics during Reconstruction following the Civil War. And he traveled to Alexandria for meetings during his brief time as...
Alexandria, La. (Feb. 22, 2020) — The Rapides Parish School System along with Northwestern State University, Louisiana College, Louisiana State University of Alexandria and the Central Louisiana Technical Community College were honored as part of a “Celebration of Education in Central Louisiana” Saturday afternoon during the Mayor’s Mardi Gras Lunch at the Diamond Grill. The Mayor’s Mardi Gras Lunch is an annual tradition, held following the Children’s Mardi Gras Parade. As part of the celebration this year, each course of the meal was designed to recognize a different educational partner. “...
Alexandria, La. (Feb. 20, 2020) — Mayors from across Central Louisiana gathered at the Randolph Riverfront Center Wednesday morning to discuss common issues and ways they can work together as a region at the Central Louisiana Regional Mayors’ Meeting. Alexandria Mayor Jeffrey W. Hall hosted the meeting with the assistance of the city’s economic development team, the Central Louisiana Regional Chamber of Commerce and the England Authority. Also participating in the discussions were representatives of the Louisiana Municipal Association and State Senators Jay Luneau and Louis Bernard along with...
Alexandria, La. (Feb. 15, 2020) — Alexandria Police Department officials and officers from Louisiana State Police, in conjunction with the SafeAlex program, collected 147 guns turned in by area residents as part of a gun buyback program held Saturday at the old Fire Station No. 2, located at 1105 Broadway Ave. Officials collected 39 handguns and 108 rifles/shotguns. “Gun-related violence is a serious issue. We held this event today to help increase awareness of the need for better gun safety and to give individuals an opportunity to turn in guns that, for whatever reason, they no longer want...
Alexandria, La. (Feb. 14, 2020) — The City of Alexandria has been recognized as a 2019 Tree City USA community by the Arbor Day Foundation. “Residents of Alexandria should be proud to live in a community that makes the planting and care of trees a priority,” said Dan Lambe, President of the Arbor Day Foundation in a letter to Alexandria Mayor Jeffrey W. Hall. Alexandria is one of more than 3,600 Tree City USA Communities. The Tree City USA program, established in 1976, is sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service and the National Association of State...
Alexandria, La. (Feb. 6, 2020) — Alexandria Mayor Jeffrey W. Hall announced the City of Alexandria, along with the Alexandria Police Department and SafeAlex, will hold a gun buyback program from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, at the old Fire Station No. 2, located at 1105 Broadway Ave. “We want to increase our efforts to address the rash of gun-related incidents we have seen recently in Alexandria,” Hall said. “Church and civic groups have conducted these buyback programs in the past, and they do make a difference.” Individuals turning in functioning guns will receive $50 for a...