Press Releases
Alexandria, La. (November 17, 2020) — Dr. Max Lakes, Ed.D. M.S., has been named the Director of the Alexandria Zoo. Lakes takes over for Lee Ann Whitt, who recently retired after 32 years with the Alexandria Zoo. “I’m honored and humbled to be part of the staff here,” Lakes said. “You already have world-class animal care here. That’s the thing about AZA accredited zoos, you have all of the same standards as the big zoos like San Diego, Disney, Audubon and Columbus. I’m looking forward to learning what the community wants, what the city wants and working to meet those needs.” “We are very...
Alexandria, La. (Nov. 6, 2020) — The City of Alexandria offices including Customer Service, City Hall and other departments will be closed Wednesday, Nov. 11, in observance of Veterans Day. ATRANS bus service will be open during normal operating hours. Garbage pickup will run its regular weekly schedule. The City of Alexandria offers a heartfelt and sincere “thank you for your service” to all veterans and current military members.
Alexandria, La. (Oct. 22, 2019) — Applications are now being accepted for the 2020-2021 Alexandria Mayor’s Youth Council. High school juniors and seniors at public as well as private Alexandria high schools are eligible to participate. Launched in 2019, the mission of the Alexandria Mayor’s Youth Council is to provide ongoing and direct input on government policies and practices that may affect young people; recommend and foster initiatives for and by youth; act as a communication link between the local government and the young people of the City of Alexandria; promote and recognize the...
Alexandria, La. (October 22, 2020) — Captain Ronney L. Howard has been named interim police chief by Alexandria Mayor Jeffrey W. Hall. Howard, the current Interim Assistant Police Chief, will assume command upon the retirement of current Alexandria Police Chief Jerrod King, who is retiring effective Nov. 1 after 24 years with the Alexandria Police Department. “Capt. Howard is a 30-year veteran with the Alexandria Police Department with a wide range of experience making him an ideal choice to lead the department through this transition period,” Hall said. “Not only does Capt. Howard have an...
Alexandria, La. (October 19, 2020) — The City of Alexandria has established 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, as the official Trick-or-Treat times. “With COVID-19 concerns, we understand that some people may choose not to participate in traditional trick-or-treat activities this year, and that is fine. But we believe those who want to participate should have the opportunity to do so as long as they follow Phase 3 guidelines as far as the number of people in groups, wearing protective face masks – not just decorative costume masks – and practicing social distancing,” said Alexandria Mayor...
Alexandria, La. (October 15, 2020) — The City of Alexandria collected more than 230,000 cubic yards of tree debris from Hurricane Laura. That tree waste was ground into mulch, and now Alexandria residents have the opportunity to get free mulch from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, at the site where the waste was processed at 313 North Third Street. The location is near the City Animal Shelter and the Farmer’s Market site. “We will have loose mulch available for Alexandria residents. We will have a front-end loader to scoop it into trucks or onto trailers or residents may bring bags and...
Alexandria, La. (October 10, 2020) — Utility Director Michael Marcotte reports power has been substantially restored to all city customers who lost service during Hurricane Delta that are able to receive power. An estimated 3,100 customers lost power as a result of the storm, which brought hurricane-force wind gusts and torrential rainfall. “If your power has not yet been restored, please call and report it again,” Marcotte said. “We anticipate completing restoration this evening to everyone who can accept it.” In addition to power outages, the city experienced street flooding in...
Alexandria, La. (October 10, 2020) — Hurricane Delta swept through Alexandria Friday night with hurricane-force wind gusts and torrential rains that caused significant flooding throughout the city. The National Weather Service in Lake Charles reports radar indicates Alexandria received an average of 8-10 inches of rainfall Thursday and Friday, with the bulk of the rain coming Friday night. NWS officials noted some locations got higher amounts, with isolated sites reporting as much as 12 inches. They also noted that due to blowing winds and the high rate of rainfall, some gauges may be under...
Alexandria, La. (October 8, 2020) — With anticipated landfall expected Friday night, City of Alexandria workers spent Thursday making final preparations for the possibility of high winds and heavy rain from Hurricane Delta. “We have taken every precaution we can in advance of this storm,” said Alexandria Mayor Jeffrey W. Hall. “We just went through a significant challenge with Hurricane Laura, and I was pleased with our overall response. My hope is the damage from this storm will not be as severe, but we are prepared and ready to respond. Just as we have prepared as a city, I encourage...
Alexandria, La. (October 7, 2020) — Workers with the City of Alexandria are actively preparing for the possibility of high winds and heavy rain Friday from Hurricane Delta, currently projected to make landfall south of Lafayette midday Friday. National Weather Service forecasts indicate Alexandria could get 4-8 inches of rain from the storm as well as wind gusts of more than 70 miles per hour, with wind activity expected to start increasing overnight Thursday. In preparation, city workers are clearing storm drains and picking up tree debris ahead of the storm. Residents are asked to refrain...