Councilman wants town hall meeting to end the violence

Ask anyone who lives on Meadows Drive in Destrehan what they're concerned about right now and it definitely won't be the gas prices.

The community has been riddled with bullets in recent weeks, and for the first time, the parish council is taking notice. Councilman Billy Raymond is gathering information and speaking to the community in preparation for a town hall meeting. 

Many complimented Raymond the day he did his walk through of the community on July 20, stating that he's the first council person to ever come out and meet with them. In fact, most were surprised to see him as they shook his hand and he introduced himself.

Sunday, as Raymond walked to various homes throughout Meadows Drive, he was greeted with a wealth of smiles as he listened to the concerns and frustrations that many who live there are experiencing.  With the National Night Out Against Crime scheduled for August 5, the walk through couldn't have come at a better time. 

Many of the residents mentioned that the acts of crime weren't random acts of violence committed by outsiders that don't live in the parish, but the majority of the crimes were being committed by people right within their own community.

No one is exactly sure what will be gained when  the National Night Out Against Crime is over. What we do know now is that the St. Charles Parish sheriff’s office has increased patrols giving a comfort zone of safety to the entire community.