Enforcement Fire Department |
The West Carroll Parish Sheriff’s main office is located in the Parish Court House in Oak Grove and handles all of the criminal, civil and tax division operations, as well as police protection, throughout the parish. There are 15 full-time deputies, many of them providing 24-hour patrol throughout the parish. There are also two state troopers stationed in West Carroll Parish. West Carroll Parish Police Jury has no fire protection facilities or equipment. The parish has 75% of its residents living in rural unincorporated areas. However, residents in each village and Goodwill and Fiske Union communities have formed volunteer fire departments. They have purchased fire trucks and trained personnel through grants obtained from the Community Development block Grant program. The Oak Grove fire department is manned by 21 volunteers, including a volunteer fire chief. The equipment includes a 1948 Ford 500 g.p.m. pumper and a 1971 International 750 g.p.m. pumper. Both trucks are in good condition and have adequate hoses and other equipment. This serves the corporate limits and the outlaying areas. |
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There are four licensed general practitioners in West Carroll, one dentist, one chiropractor, one ophthalmologist, and one optometrist. There are five pharmacies in the parish to take care of prescription needs. The West Carroll Memorial Hospital, located in Oak Grove was expanded to 52 beds in 1974. This one-story structure is in good condition. The following facilities are included in this hospital: X-ray room, laboratory operating room, emergency room, nursery, EKG intensive care rooms and inhalation therapy. Carroll Nursing Home, in Oak Grove, has 106 beds. Residents also have access to the large number of medical facilities located in the regional area, including the LSU Medical Center in Shreveport and numerous other public and private medical facilities in Monroe, Ruston and Shreveport. Enforcement of public health and sanitation regulations is administered by the West Carroll Parish Health Unit in Oak Grove. This facility operates under the authority of the West Carroll Parish Board of Health and the Federal Health Service. The local unit is staffed with two registered nurses. Services include immunization, location, prevention and control of communicable diseases; instruction on prevention of accidents in the home and chronic illnesses; pre-school and school health programs; laboratory analysis; and chest X-rays; and inspection for sanitation of food and water supplies and inspection of public facilities . |
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and Recreation |
West Carroll Parish has a golf course, a community swimming pool and several ball fields and many tennis courts. Boating, tubing, and fishing on Bayou Maçon and the Boeuf River are also major activities for visitors and residents of the parish. Poverty Point State Park is a recreational and historical treasure located on the southwest boundary of the parish. Louisiana Downs, 180 miles away off I-20 and U.S. 80 in Bossier City is one of the nation s top thoroughbred racetracks. The four-level, glass-enclosed grandstand contains a variety of restaurants, bars and seating areas. Racing season runs from April to November, Wednesdays through Sundays. Off track betting is available year-round in nearby Mound, Louisiana. There are one theaters in the parish, but eight are available at Pecanland Mall in Monroe only 30 miles away. |
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Monroe, Louisiana is only 30 miles to the southwest with two regional shopping centers which have seen an explosion of retail activity in the past few years.
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Communications in the area include a local weekly newspaper (The West Carroll Gazette‹Oak Grove). Metropolitan daily newspapers from Vicksburg, Ruston and Monroe are also circulated in West Carroll Parish. There is one FM (KWCL) station in Oak Grove. Several El Dorado, Arkansas and Monroe stations are available in West Carroll Parish. Television stations can be received from Shreveport or Monroe including all four networks (ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX). Cable service is also available in the parish and provides up to 16 stations. |
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| West Carroll Parish enjoys a complete seasonal cycle with pleasant spring and fall seasons. Winter months are usually mild with cold spells of short duration. Snowfall is less than 2" per year. The summer months are quite warm, with an average daily maximum temperature in July and August of 93 degrees. |
| West Carroll Parish is located in northeastern Louisiana. It is bounded by Arkansas on the north, East Carroll Parish on the east, Richland parish on the south and Morehouse Parish on the west. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Highways |
From West Carroll Parish, a manufacturer can realistically expect third-day truckload service to major markets in 31 states and the District of Columbia. Within this 31-state area are 69 percent of the nation s population and 70 percent of its manufacturing plants. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| This road is on the Federal Aid Secondary program (FAS, 50ft. ROW with 24 ft. paved surface). To the south of West Carroll Parish this highway connects with I-20 and continues to Winnsboro where it intersects with State Highway 15. In the parish it connects all the incorporated communities. This highway is well used and maintained for commercial traffic toward I-20 and the southern part of the state. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| This road is on the Federal Aid Secondary program (FAS, 50ft. ROW with 24 ft. paved surface). It winds through the central portion of the parish toward the eastern and western borders of the state. | The main transportation arteries through West Carroll Parish are State Highways 2, and 17. Numerous parish roads also serve local markets. Interstate Highway 20, which runs a few miles south of the border of the parish, allows easy access to the east or west coast of the United States. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Southern Pacific Transportation Co. and West Carroll Pacific Railroad tracks run north from the parish toward Shreveport and the western United States. Rail rates in Louisiana for many commodities tend to be lower than those in the other states because of the competition from barge carriers. These transportation companies handle a significant volume of containers, TOFC and carload traffic between Louisiana and most of western and mid-America. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Facilities |
While West Carroll Parish has no navigable rivers its location near the Port of Lake Providence on the Mississippi River should not be overlooked. this port, which is only twelve miles away can contribute significantly to the parish s economic potential. Cargo can be delivered by barge from Louisiana to all of mid-America via the 19,000 mile Mississippi River System. Louisiana also sits at the center of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway system that rims the northern Gulf of Mexico. Further, the state itself has 4,500 miles of navigable waterways served by 25 harbor and terminal districts, many of which can issue low-interest industrial revenue bonds to finance manufacturing and storage facilities. Also through the state there is a port construction and priority program that may assist in funding port facilities. |
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Louisiana s lower Mississippi corridor is the leading port area in the world with a total annual tonnage of over 345 million tons. The port area stretches 230 miles inland on both banks of the river with more than 110,000 acres of large, affordable deepwater sites with barge and ship access. There are several campus-type industrial parks suitable for warehouse/distribution operations, offices, sales/service facilities and light manufacturing/assembly. The Port of South Louisiana, the Port of New Orleans and the Port of Greater Baton Rouge are three of the port authorities along this corridor which operate Foreign Trade Zones. Imported materials may be processed or repackaged in these zones without paying United States Customs duties or certain taxes. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Kelly Airport, located in Oak Grove, has a 2,750 foot paved, lighted runway, accommodates some business jets. The runway is lighted for night flying, fuel, storage and maintenance are available on premises. A new airport with a 3,700 ft. runway is planned for Oak Grove. The nearest commercial airport is Monroe Regional Airport only 55 miles away. It has a 7,000 foot runway and is served by L Express, American Eagle, Northwest Airlink and Delta Airlines. Sixty-eight Louisiana cities have hard-surfaced public airports, most with night landing capability. Another 250 private airports can accommodate light aircraft. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Delivery |
Nationwide passenger and parcel service are provided by Greyhound Bus Lines. Emery/Purolator, United Parcel Service and Federal Express are available. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Carriers |
The following freight carriers service the area: SAIA Motor Freight Line, Roadway Express, Red Ball, Consolidated, Jones Truck Lines and Yellow Freight Lines
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