4-28-16
THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA SYSTEM GOVERNING BOARD WILL CONSIDER A REQUEST TO NAME THE BASEBALL COMPLEX AT U-L AFTER A PROMINENT LAFAYETTE OIL BUSINESS FAMILY. THE U-L BASEBALL COMPLEX IS UNDERGOING A TEN MILLION DOLLAR UPGRADE, AND CHRISTOPHER RUSSO, THE FORMER CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER OF STABIL DRILLING SPECIALTIES, HAS PLEDGED FIVE MILLION DOLLARS TOWARD THE PROJECT. U-L PRESIDENT JOSEPH SAVOIE SAYS IN A LETTER TO THE GOVERNING BOARD THE MONEY WAS PLEDGED FOR THE NAMING OF THE BASEBALL COMPLEX TO HONOR THE RUSSO FAMILY. CHRISTOPHER RUSSO WAS NAMED IN A CIVIL ACTION BY THE PARENT COMPANY OF STABIL DRILLING, ACCUSING HIM AND ANOTHER EXECUTIVE OF DEFRAUDING THE COMPANY OF TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
CAMERON PARISH LEADERS WANT TO SEE SIGNS ON PARISH BEACHES, THAT EXPLAIN RULES, UPDATED AND SIMPLIFIED. RESIDENTS HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT VISITORS TEARING UP THE BEACHES WITH FOUR WHEELERS OR DRIVING THEIR VEHICLES OVER THE DUNES, CREATING UNSAFE CONDITIONS WHERE CHILDREN ARE PLAYING. THE CAMERON PARISH BEACH FRONT DEVELOPMENT BOARD, MEETING AT THE HOLLY BEACH FIRE STATION, CAME UP WITH THE PROPOSAL TO CHANGE THE SIGNS, WHICH WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE POLICE JURY FOR APPROVAL AT THEIR MAY FIFTH MEETING. IF APPROVED, THEY HOPE TO HAVE THE NEW SIGNS IN PLACE BY THIS SUMMER.
MORE THAN A HUNDRED PEOPLE RALLIED AT THE IBERIA PARISH COURTHOUSE AGAINST SHERIFF LOUIS ACKAL. ORGANIZER DONALD BROUSSARD AND COMMUNITY LEADERS CALLED ON ACKAL TO RESIGN FROM OFFICE. ACKAL HAS BEEN INDICTED ON CHARGES FOR ALLEGEDLY ORDERING DEPUTIES TO BEAT FIVE INMATES IN THE IBERIA PARISH JAIL CHAPEL FIVE YEARS AGO. BROUSSARD SAYS A PETITION CALLING FOR A RECALL ELECTION OF ACKAL WILL BE FILED ONCE HIS NEW TERM BEGINS IN JULY.
An effort to strip Medicaid financing from Planned Parenthood if the organization starts performing abortions at its New Orleans clinic has won the backing of the Louisiana House. Federal health officials have warned such efforts may violate the law, but that hasn’t slowed support for the legislation, which is supported by Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards. The House voted 85-7 Wednesday for the measure by Rep. Frank Hoffmann, a Republican who chairs the House health committee. The bill would ban public funding in Louisiana for entities that perform abortions.
THE LOUISIANA SENATE’S HEALTH AND WELFARE COMMITTEE VOTED 5-TO-2 FOR A BILL THAT WOULD INCREASE THE MANDATORY WAITING PERIOD FOR AN ABORTION FROM 24 TO 72 HOURS. IF IT IS APPROVED AND SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR, IT WOULD MEAN LOUISIANA, AND FIVE OTHER STATES, WOULD HAVE THE LONGEST WAITING PERIOD IN THE NATION. THE HOUSE HAS ALREADY PASSED THE BILL AND NOW IT GOES TO THE FULL SENATE. THE BILL ORIGINALLY DID NOT APPLY TO WOMEN WHO LIVE MORE THAN 150 MILES FROM THE NEAREST ABORTION CLINIC, BUT WAS AMENDED TO INCLUDE ALL WOMEN.
LAFAYETTE CITY PARISH COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE UPSET WHEN THE HEAD OF MOSQUITO CONTROL CONTRACTORS TOLD THEM THEY’VE ONLY DONE TWO DAYS OF ROUTINE SPRAYING THIS YEAR, AND HAVE BEEN BARRED FROM RESPONDING TO SPECIAL REQUESTS. CITY PARISH EMERGENCY OPERATIONS AND SECURITY COORDINATOR BOBBY CORMIER SAYS SPECIAL REQUEST RESPONSES WERE STOPPED BECAUSE IT IS MORE EFFICIENT TO DEVELOP A STRATEGY FOR THE WHOLE PARISH RATHER THAN DEVOTING RESOURCES TO CERTAIN SPOTS. COUNCIL MEMBERS ALSO LEARNED THAT FORMER CITY PARISH PRESIDENT JOEL DUREL ENDED ALLOWING DRAINAGE WORK ON PRIVATE PROPERTY TO ADDRESS MOSQUITO BREEDING AREAS. MAYOR PRESIDENT JOEL ROBIDEAUX SAYS HE WASN’T AWARE OF CHANGES TO THE CONTRACT AND PROMISED TO REVIEW IT.
EIGHT VEHICLES WERE INVOLVED IN A CRASH ON I-TEN IN LAKE CHARLES YESTERDAY AFTERNOON, BETWEEN RYAN AND ENTERPRISE BOULEVARD ON THE WESTBOUND SIDE. IT BEGAN WHEN AN 18 WHEELER CRASHED INTO SEVERAL VEHICLES AND ITS ENGINE BURST INTO FLAMES. THREE PEOPLE WERE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL INCLUDING A PREGNANT WOMAN, WHOSE CAR ENDED ON TOP OF A CONCRETE MEDIAN. SEVERAL PASSERSBY STOPPED TO HELP GET VICTIMS OUT OF THEIR VEHICLES.
A ST. LANDRY PARISH GRAND JURY HAS INDICTED AN 18-YEAR-OLD CARENCRO MAN ON A CHARGE OF SECOND DEGREE MURDER. DYLAN CHAISSON JUNIOR IS ACCUSED OF SHOOTING TO DEATH 18-YEAR-OLD AUSTIN JOSEPH BRISCOE OF EUNICE. IT HAPPENED ON THE NIGHT OF JANUARY 23RD AT A CAR WASH, LOCATED AT THE INTERSECTION OF ANNA AND LANDRY STREETS IN SUNSET. SUNSET POLICE BELIEVE THE SHOOTING HAPPENED AFTER AN ARGUMENT INVOLVING A DRUG DEAL.
