KAJN Jesus FM 102.9


7-20-16

YESTERDAY THE LAFAYETTE CITY PARISH COUNCIL APPROVED AN EMERGENCY EXPENDITURE OF 120 THOUSAND DOLLARS TO PURCHASE HELMETS AND OTHER RIOT GEAR FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT’S 269 OFFICERS.  LAFAYETTE MAYOR PRESIDENT JOEL ROBIDEAUX SAYS THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT ASKED FOR LAFAYETTE OFFICERS TO BE ON STANDBY IN CASE THEIR NEEDED FOR PROTESTS THAT HAVE BEEN GOING ON IN BATON ROUGE OVER THE PAST TWO WEEKS.  INTERIM POLICE CHIEF REGINALD THOMAS CHECKED THE DEPARTMENT’S RIOT GEAR AND FOUND THEY WERE WOEFULLY SHORT.  THOMAS SAYS THEY ONLY HAD THIRTY HELMETS AND THEY HAD BEEN PURCHASED IN 1970.

 

CALCASIEU PARISH SHERIFF TONY MANCUSO IS ENSURING THE PUBLIC THAT HIS DEPUTIES ARE WELL TRAINED IN LIGHT OF THE RECENT POLICE INVOLVED SHOOTINGS.  MANCUSO TELLS KPLC TV THAT OFFICERS RECIEVES EXTENSIVE TRAINING BEFORE THEY EARN THEIR BADGE.  HE ALSO CITES PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATIONS ON CANDIDATES BEFORE THEY ARE HIRED, INFORMING THEM IF THERE ARE GOING TO BE ANY ISSUES THAT COULD CAUSE A PROBLEM.  HE SAYS CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR HIS DEPUTIES IS VITAL AS WELL AS UPDATING THE CURRICULUM TO REFLECT CHANGES IN SOCIETY.

 

IBERIA PARISH SHERIFF LOUIS ACKAL HAS ASKED A FEDERAL JUDGE TO ALLOW HIM TO CARRY A GUN AGAIN BECAUSE OF THE RECENT POLICE SHOOTINGS AND BECAUSE, HE SAYS, HE’S RECEIVED THREATS.  JUDGE DONALD WALTER ORDERED ACKAL NOT TO CARRY A GUN WHILE HE AWAITS TRIAL ON CHARGES HE FACES FOR ALLEGEDLY ORDERING PRISON GUARDS TO BEAT INMATES.  THE JUDGE ISSUED THE ORDER AFTER RECORDINGS WERE RELEASED IN WHICH ACKAL THREATENED TO SHOOT A FEDERAL PROSECUTOR AFTER THAT PROSECUTOR VOWED TO SEND ACKAL TO PRISON.  ACKAL SAYS HE WASN’T BEING SERIOUS WHEN HE MADE THE THREAT.

 

THE BLOOD DONOR CENTER AT OUR LADY OF LOURDES IN LAFAYETTE IS COLLECTING BLOOD TO HELP THE INJURED OFFICERS IN BATON ROUGE.  JULIE DARCE HAS MORE.

 

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Louisiana’s Department of Revenue says homeowners have applied for more solar energy tax credits this year than the three-year program can cover.  The 2015 Legislature passed the program, with limits of $10 million for each of the first two years and a $5 million cap for the third year. It ends Dec. 31, 2017.  A news release Tuesday said homeowners have applied for $39 million worth of credits.

CONSTRUCTION WILL BEGIN SOON FOR A NEW TRADITIONAL NEIGHBORHOOD IN LAKE CHARLES.  THE DEVELOPER IS ROBERT DAIGLE, WHO PUT IN THE RIVER RANCH AND SOUTHERN LIFESTYLE DEVELOPMENTS IN LAFAYETTE.  HE SPOKE AT THE GOLDEN NUGGET YESTERDAY ABOUT THE VILLAGE AT MORGANFIELD, WHICH HAS BEEN IN THE PLANNING STAGES FOR TWO YEARS.  HE SAYS HOME CONSTRUCTION SHOULD BEGIN WITHIN THIRTY DAYS, AND IN THE NEXT NINETY DAYS, THE FIRST MIXED USE COMMERCIAL BUILDING SHOULD BE UP IN THE DEVELOPMENT’S TOWN CENTER.

 

ANOTHER BUILDING IN OPELOUSAS CAUGHT FIRE EARLY TUESDAY MORNING AND INVESTIGATORS BELIEVE IT WAS INTENTIONALLY SET.  THE 95-HUNDRED SQUARE FOOT OLDE WOOD ACCENTS BUILDING IN THE THREE HUNDRED BLOCK OF MAIN STREET WAS DESTROYED, AS WELL AS THE HEAVY CUTTING EQUIPMENT AND THE ANTIQUE LUMBER INSIDE.  CHIEF DEPUTY STATE FIRE MARSHAL BRANT THOMPSON TELLS THE ADVOCATE THAT THEY ARE TRYING TO DETERMINE IF ITS CONNECTED WITH TWO FIRES LAST WEEK IN OPELOUSAS.  LAST THURSDAY ARSON WAS BLAMED FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF A HOME THAT WAS ONCE THE GOVERNOR’S MANSION DURING THE CIVIL WAR, AND A HISTORIC TRAIN DEPOT, THAT SERVES AS THE CITY’S ORPHAN TRAIN MUSEUM, WAS SLIGHTLY DAMAGED.

 

The signup period for Louisiana’s congressional elections is starting.  Many of the major candidates for U.S. Senate are expected to be among the first in line Wednesday morning at the Secretary of State’s Office to qualify for their race.

Candidates for the Nov. 8 election have until Friday to register their candidacies.

Because two congressmen, Republicans Charles Boustany and John Fleming, are leaving their House seats to run for Senate, a long list of candidates are expected to qualify in those races.