Majority support in two of three parishes during a special election Saturday led to passage of a 0.25cent sales tax to fund tougher anticrime initiatives in the 18th Judicial District. The 10-year initiative proposed by District Attorney Tony Clayton passed with 5,411 votes (53 percent), while 4,872 voters (47 percent) opposed the measure.

Residents in two Pointe Coupee Parish fire districts approved millages that will generate funds for equipment, training and staffing of full-time personnel. Voters in Fire District 3 – which covers the Oscar and Ventress areas – supported a 15-mill tax, while Fire District 5 voters gave the green light to a 3-mill tax for the area that includes New Roads, Ventress, Mix and LaBarre.

Pointe Coupee District 2 Fire Chief Aaron Edwards said he saw the writing on the wall not long after the polls closed Saturday. A margin of 39 votes meant the department in the Morganza area will face deep cuts rather than proposed upgrades for the department.