In the small Allen Parish town of Oakdale, about 150 federal workers are celebrating the news that the federal government shutdown is ending. Oakdale is home to a federal prison and immigration detention facility. Oakdale Mayor Gene Paul says several families in his town have been struggling.
“They are just not going to be able to afford gas or other supplies to be able to come to work. It is really going to make a big difference within the next week or so.”
Paul says the federal workers he spoke with, didn’t like being caught up in a dispute over border wall funding.
“I mean these are human beings that the government or whoever is taking money off their table out of their household where they cannot pay bills.”
Paul says the town of Oakdale is giving federal workers an extension to pay their utility bills…
“We are not going to cut anyone one off that works for the government. We are going to waiver all late charges and anything we can to assist these people.”
