Ball, Louisiana

Ball is a small town in Rapides Parish just north of Pineville, Louisiana, United States. It is part of the Alexandria, Louisiana Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 4,000 at the 2010 census, an increase of 8.7 percent over the 2000 tabulation of 3,681.

Roy Hebron case

Roy Eugene Hebron (born c. 1954) is a former mayor of Ball, initially elected in 1986. In 2011, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the Federal Emergency Management Agency and was sentenced to imprisonment for a term of four years. The guilty plea stemmed from Hebron's having overbilled FEMA regarding the reconstruction from Hurricane Gustav in 2008. Town clerk Brenda Kimball was also imprisoned in the case. Four other municipal figures, including former police Chief Jay Barber, pleaded guilty to various charges to defraud the U.S. government but avoided jail time.

Judge Dee D. Drell of the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana in Alexandria ordered Hebron to pay $105,566 in restitution to FEMA, a fine of $25,000 fine, and $100 special assessment, collectively totaling $130,666. Hebron's life insurance was garnished to pay part of the amount owed. In 2012, Hebron received notice that his municipal retirement account will be garnished to secure the remaining $68,237 he owes for theft. He is scheduled for release from the minimum security prison in Pensacola, Florida, on December 19, 2014.

Geography

Ball is located at 31°24′29″N 92°24′8″W (31.407930, -92.402316)Template:GR.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 8.0 square miles (21 km²), all land.

Education

Ball residents are zoned to Rapides Parish School Board schools. Ball is home to two elementary schools within the city limits that residents may go to, Ball Elementary School and Paradise Elementary School. Some residents may also go to three nearby schools in Tioga: Tioga Elementary School, Tioga Junior High School, and Tioga High School.

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1980	3,405		—
1990	3,305		−2.9%
2000	3,681		11.4%
2010	4,000		8.7%
Ball Census

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 3,681 people, 1,435 households, and 1,057 families residing in the town. The population density was 458.1 people per square mile (177.0/km²). There were 1,524 housing units at an average density of 189.7 per square mile (73.3/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.74% White, 1.58% African American, 0.65% Native American, 0.35% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.22% from other races, and 0.43% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.41% of the population.

There were 1,435 households out of which 37.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.0% were married couples living together, 16.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.3% were non-families. 23.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 2.97.

In the town the population was spread out with 27.9% under the age of 18, 10.2% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 22.9% from 45 to 64, and 10.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 90.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $31,500, and the median income for a family was $38,588. Males had a median income of $31,667 versus $20,323 for females. The per capita income for the town was $14,178. About 10.1% of families and 13.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.0% of those under age 18 and 7.6% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

• Frank Estes Cole, educator and football coach who served in both houses of the Louisiana State Legislature between 1944 and 1960.
• Chris Hazel, current state representative, resides in Ball.