Local essentials
Setting up after a move, staying safe in storm season, and where to turn for help, in one place.
Start here
- Moving hereUtilities, licenses, schools and the numbers to keepStart the guide →
- SWLA ResourcesHelp with food, bills, rent and medical careFind help →
- Kids eat freeWhere kids eat free or for less, night by nightSee the nights →
- WeatherThe weather now, the week ahead and any alertsCheck it now →
- Key contactsThe numbers to keep: utilities, city hall, the parish and moreSee the numbers →
Get set up
- UtilitiesWater, power and gas, and who serves your addressRead it →
- Trash and recyclingPickup days, bulk items and drop-off sitesRead it →
- Driver's license and car tagsThe 30-day rule and every OMV officeRead it →
- Schools and enrollmentThe permit, the papers and the online formRead it →
- Voting and local governmentRegistering, deadlines and who represents youRead it →
- Property tax and homesteadThe exemption, the senior freeze and the billRead it →
Stay safe
Everyday
- Getting aroundCity buses, fares and the airportRead it →
- Library cardsWho qualifies and what a card gets youRead it →
- School, college and jobsUniversities, career training and the region's employersRead it →
- Recreation programsClasses, leagues and centers you can rentRead it →
- Pets and animal servicesThe shelter, adoptions and straysRead it →
- Permits and reporting problemsBuilding permits, potholes and tall grassRead it →
Beyond Lake Charles
Missing something?
Tell us what you had to hunt for when you moved here, and we will add a page for it.
Know something we missed?
See a wrong number, an old deadline or a step we left out? Tell us. No account needed.