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THE LAFAYETTE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD LAST NIGHT DIRECTED DISTRICT STAFF TO FOCUS ON A PROPOSED TEN TO FIFTEEN YEAR SALES TAX OPTION THAT WOULD BE VOTED ON BY THE PUBLIC. THEY ELIMINATED THE 30 TO 35 YEAR OPTIONS. THE BOARD IS HOPING VOTERS WILL APPROVE A NEW SALES TAX SO THEY CAN REPLACE HUNDREDS OF TEMPORARY CLASSROOMS WITH PERMANENT STRUCTURES. ON FEBRUARY 15TH, THE BOARD WILL MAKE A FINAL DECISION ON WHETHER TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A PROPOSED SALES TAX, AND THE SIZE AND LENGTH OF IT.
DERIDDER CITY LEADERS ARE ASKING STATE LEGISLATORS TO DO MORE TO EXPAND ONLINE SALES TAX COLLECTIONS. THIS YEAR, AMAZON BEGAN COLLECTING SALES TAXES ON ORDERS FROM LOUISIANA. DERIDDER MAYOR RON ROBERTS SAYS MORE VENDORS NEED TO BE INCLUDED BECAUSE IT’S HURTING NOT JUST LOCAL BUSINESSES, BUT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, AS 65 PERCENT OF THEIR BUDGET COMES FROM SALES TAXES. HE TELLS KPLC TV THAT IF ONLINE SALES TAXES AREN’T COLLECTED SOON, IT COULD COST THE CITY FOUR POLICE OFFICERS IN A DEPARTMENT THAT ONLY HAS A TOTAL OF 29 OFFICERS.
LAST NIGHT, THE ST. LANDRY PARISH COUNCIL APPROVED AN ORDINANCE ABOLISHING THE OLD ARNAUDVILLE HOSPITAL. THAT WAS A NECESSARY STEP IF ST. LANDRY AND ST. MARTIN PARISHES JOIN TOGETHER IN CONVERTING THE BUILDING INTO A STATEWIDE FRENCH IMMERSION CENTER. ACCORDING TO A PROPOSED BUSINESS PLAN, IT WOULD COST ST. LANDRY PARISH BETWEEN ONE AND TWO MILLION DOLLARS TO REMODEL THE BUILDING. THE MAJORITY OF RESIDENTS POLLED IN ST. LANDRY AND ST. MARTIN PARISHES SUPPORT THE PROPOSED CENTER, AND ST. LANDRY PARISH PRESIDENT BILL FONTENOT SAYS IT WOULD BE A POSITIVE ECONOMICALLY.
GOVERNOR JOHN BEL EDWARDS AND A STATE DELEGATION MET WITH POPE FRANCIS YESTERDAY DURING HIS GENERAL AUDIENCE. JULIE DARCE HAS MORE.
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A GROUP SEEKING TO RESTORE THE HOLY ROSARY INSTITUTE IN LAFAYETTE RECENTLY RECEIVED A 450 THOUSAND DOLLAR GRANT FROM THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE THROUGH A PROGRAM THAT SEEKS TO PRESERVE SITES THAT ARE RELEVANT TO AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY. THE INSTITUTE WAS OPENED IN 1913 TO SERVE LOCAL BLACK CHILDREN AND BOARDING STUDENTS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY, AND CLOSED IN 1993 DUE TO LACK OF FUNDING. THE HOLY ROSARY REDEVELOPMENT BOARD IS CONSIDERING TRANSFORMING THE INSTITUTE INTO A MULTIPURPOSE COMMUNITY CENTER. PRESIDENT DUSTIN CRAVINS TELLS THE ADVOCATE THAT THE FIRST STEP IS TO STABILIZE THE BUILDING, SINCE THEY ARE ONE STORM AWAY FROM LOSING IT.
CALCASIEU PARISH SHERIFF TONY MANCUSO BELIEVES ALL RESIDENTS SHOULD BE PREPARED IN THE CASE OF AN ACTIVE SHOOTER AT A PLACE OF WORK OR SCHOOL. THAT’S WHY HE’S PREPARED A TRAINING VIDEO TITLED “TOGETHER WE CAN.” HE TELLS KPLC TV THAT THEY CAN PREDICT AN ACTIVE SHOOTING SITUATION CAN HAPPEN IN THE AREA, SO THEY NEED TO BE PREPARED. HE SAYS DEPUTIES ARE DISTRIBUTING THE VIDEO TO AREA BUSINESSES SO EMPLOYEES CAN BE TRAINED FOR SUCH A SITUATION, AND BUSINESS OWNERS CAN CONTACT THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE FOR A VIDEO IF ONE IS NOT DROPPED OFF.
FOUR MEN PLEADED TO LESSER CHARGES IN THE BEATING DEATH OF AN ABBEVILLE MAN IN 2015. RICKEY PICARD JUNIOR WAS BEATEN DURING A ROBBERY BEHIND KINGS MART IN APRIL OF 2015 AND DIED A MONTH LATER. 33-YEAR-OLD COLT TURNER AND 19-YEAR-OLD PRESTON TOUSSAINT BOTH PLED NO CONTEST TO PRINCIPLE TO MANSLAUGHTER, WHILE 21-YEAR-OLD FRANCIS BRIGGS AND 21-YEAR-OLD JOHN HEBERT THE THIRD PLED GUILTY TO PRINCIPLE TO MANSLAUGHTER. TOUSSAINT WAS SENTENCED TO TEN YEARS IN PRISON, AND THE OTHER THREE WILL RECEIVE THEIR SENTENCES ON APRIL SEVENTH.
A joint effort by the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Louisiana Office of Tourism is aimed at bringing more Chinese tourists to Louisiana. The two agencies on Wednesday announced the hiring of China-based East West Marketing Corporation to support the effort. In a news release, the agencies said the Chinese travel market is the fastest growing inbound travel market to the United States. They said their move to take advantage of the growing market is crucial to increasing international travel to New Orleans and the rest of the state, as well as the South.
