<span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: ‘Lucida Sans’;" class="R~sep~ACopyBody">What is the status of the extension of Coach Williams Road, which is supposed to go from Old Spanish Trial to Houston River Road?</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Tim Conner, parish engineer, said that “design surveys, traffic analysis, geotechnical investigations, abstracting and title reports are all substantially completed” and that officials are now seeking environmental permits.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Final designs should be finished this month, he said.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">“Over 50 parcels of property are impacted by the project, and right of way acquisition has begun,” Conner wrote in a statement forwarded to The Informer. “It is projected that construction will begin in the spring of 2017.”</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">The extension of Coach Williams from Old Spanish</span> <span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Trail to Houston River Road will run about three miles.</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.cppj.net.</span>

<span class="R~sep~AHeadBrief">Grieving loved ones focus of group</span>

<span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: ‘Lucida Sans’;" class="R~sep~ACopyBody">My child died of bone cancer, and I would like to know if there are any groups that you can go to to talk about it, get things off your chest?</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Yes.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Among the many support groups listed in the</span> <span style="font-style: italic;" class="R~sep~ACopyBody">American Press</span> <span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">on Sundays and Wednesdays is Compassionate Friends, which was formed specifically for grieving parents.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">The group’s vision statement: “Everyone who needs us will find us and everyone who finds us will be helped.”</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">The local chapter meets on the fourth Tuesday of each month. Meetings are 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Stellar Beans Coffee House, 319 Broad St.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">For more information, call 202-1979.</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.compassionatefriends.org.</span>

<span class="R~sep~AHeadBrief">Providers don’t have to accept Medicaid</span>

<span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: ‘Lucida Sans’;" class="R~sep~ACopyBody">I have a question about the new Medicaid expansion. If we sign up for Medicaid, do the doctors and the hospitals in this area have to accept Medicaid or can they refuse to accept Medicaid?</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">“Providers do not have to accept Medicaid,” state Department of Health and Hospitals spokesman Bob Johannessen wrote in an email.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">“But when someone enrolls and is approved, they will have the chance to select a managed care health plan and a primary care provider that accepts patients with Medicaid coverage.”</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">https://bayouhealth.com/LASelfService/en_US/choose.html.</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>