<span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: ‘Lucida Sans’;" class="R~sep~ACopyBody">By population numbers, the city of Lake Charles does not seem to ever grow. However, when one looks at all the settlements south of Country Club Road between Common and Nelson, let’s say, there’s quite a population growth.</span>

<span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: ‘Lucida Sans’;" class="R~sep~ACopyBody">A few years ago there had been talks of annexations, but I don’t know what came of them. Why would that be, I wonder? Could you find out for me? We are always saying how much Lake Charles has grown, yet, officially it hasn’t.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">The city’s population remained more or less the same — about 70,000 — from 1990 through 2010. But city spokesman Matt Young noted that the latest estimate from the U.S. Census Bureau, for July 2015, puts the tally at 76,070.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">“Their estimate represents a 5.7 percent population growth in five years,” Young wrote in an email.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">“The city’s increase in requests for construction permits further supports population growth in Lake Charles. In 2014, 145 permits were issued by the city for single-family housing units. In 2015, 256 similar permits were issued. In the first seven months of 2016, 215 permits have already been issued for single-family housing units.”</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Decennial population counts for Lake Charles from 1880 to 2010:</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">1880 — 838.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">1890 — 3,442.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">1900 — 6,680.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">1910 — 11,449.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">1920 — 13,088.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">1930 —15,791.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">1940 — 21,207.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">1950 — 41,272.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">1960 — 63,392.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">1970 — 77,998.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">1980 — 75,226.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">1990 — 70,580.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">2000 — 71,757.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">2010 — 71,993.</span>

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<span style="font-weight: bold;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">Online:</span> <span class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">www.census.gov.</span>

<span class="R~sep~AHeadBrief">Service line offers Medicare information</span>

<span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: ‘Lucida Sans’;" class="R~sep~ACopyBody">What’s the number that I can call for information on Medicare?</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Call the Medicare Service Center at 800-633-4227 or — via TTY — 877-486-2048.</span>

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<span style="font-weight: bold;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">Online:</span> <span class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">www.cms.gov.</span>

<span class="R~sep~AHeadBrief">LC Permit Center handles complaints</span>

<span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: ‘Lucida Sans’;" class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Who do I contact about violations of property ordinances in the city of Lake Charles?</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Call the city Permit Center at 491-1294.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">What the center does, as listed on the city’s website:</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">“Review plans for compliance of new construction and alteration of existing structures.”</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">“Issue building, electrical, plumbing, gas, and mechanical permits.”</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">“Perform inspections of various trades on new and altered buildings to assure compliance with codes.”</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">“License various construction trades, such as building, electrical, plumbing, gas and mechanical contractors.”</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">“Investigate all complaints dealing with building, electrical, plumbing, gas, mechanical, zoning or property standards, such as junk vehicles, junk materials, garbage and trash, or tall grass on private property.”</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">“Handles condemnation procedures.”</span>

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<span style="font-weight: bold;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">Online:</span> <span class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">www.cityoflakecharles.com.</span>

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<span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">The I</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">nform</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">er answers questions from rea</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">ders each Sunday, Monday a</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">nd Wednesday. It is re</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">searched and written by</span> <span style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">Andrew Perzo</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">, an</span> <span style="font-style: italic; font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">American Press</span> <span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">staff wri</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">ter. To ask a question, call</span> <span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">494-409</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">8 and leave voice mail, or ema</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">il informer@americanpress.com.</span>