1-11-16
Crawfish sellers in south Louisiana are reporting larger mud bugs in the early part of the season. The Advertiser reports merchants are crediting a relatively warm winter thus far. Heather Girouard, general manager of Hook & Boil restaurant in Broussard, says small crawfish are usually expected in January, but she’s seeing medium and large ones already. Several seasonal restaurants are opening this month to serve though early summer.
A new Veterans Treatment Court in Calcasieu Parish will offer mentoring and services instead of jail time for military veterans who are facing some criminal charges. The American Press reports the purpose of the court will be to divert veterans with service-connected substance abuse or mental health disorders out of the court system and toward possible treatment solutions. The Department of Veterans Affairs says nearly 12 out of every 100 Gulf War veterans and as many as 20 out of every 100 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans have post-traumatic stress disorder, a common issue tied to criminal activity among veterans. Calcasieu Parish is home to roughly 16,000 veterans, with nearly 5,000 in Lake Charles.
OFFICIALS WITH THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS ARE DELAYING THE POSSIBLE OPENING OF THE MORGANZA SPILLWAY AGAIN. JULIE DARCE HAS MORE.
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John Bel Edwards is sworn into office at noon as Louisiana’s 56th governor, becoming the only Democratic governor in the Deep South. Edwards, previously a state lawmaker, inherits a sizable budget mess and will need to work with a majority Republican Legislature to fix it. Six other statewide elected officials — all Republicans — also will take their oaths of office with Edwards on the steps of the Louisiana Capitol. Two are newly-selected: Former Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser will take office as lieutenant governor, and former congressman Jeff Landry as attorney general.
GREEN T LINDON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN YOUNGSVILLE WILL BE GETTING A NEW PLAYGROUND. LAST WEEK, THE LAFAYETTE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED AN AGREEMENT TO PURCHASE NEARLY FIVE ACRES OF LAND FROM YOUNG INDUSTRIES, WHICH WILL BE USED AS PLAYGROUND SPACE. FUNDING FOR THE PURCHASE COMES FROM A CONTINGENCY FUND. THE NEW PLAYGROUND WAS MADE NECESSARY BECAUSE OF ADDITIONS TO THE SCHOOL WHICH HAVE TAKEN AWAY MUCH OF THE CURRENT PLAYGROUND SPACE.
THE FORMER MAYOR OF DEQUINCEY, GARY WAYNE COOPER, PASSED AWAY AT THE AGE OF 70. HE CURRENTLY HAD BEEN SERVING AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE DEQUINCEY RAILROAD MUSEUM BOARD OF DIRECTORS. LAST YEAR, COOPER WAS GIVEN THE LOUISIANA STATE PRESERVATIONIST OF THE YEAR AWARD. FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS ARE BEING HANDLED BY DIGNITY SNIDER FUNERAL HOME IN DEQUINCEY.
THE ST. LANDRY PARISH SCHOOL DISTRICT IS RECEIVING NATIONAL ATTENTION FOR AN AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM AT TEN OF THEIR SCHOOLS. STUDENTS ATTEND THE 21ST CENTURY COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTER VOLUNTARILY IN ORDER TO IMPROVE THEIR READING, MATH, AND OTHER ACADEMIC SKILLS. DISTRICT TESTING DIRECTOR ANGELA CASSIMERE SAYS THE READING RESULTS HAVE EXCEEDED EXPECTATIONS, WITH MORE THAN 17 THOUSAND BOOKS READ IN A YEAR’S TIME. SHE SAYS REPRESENTATIVES OF THE COMPUTER READING PROGRAM ARE CITING ST. LANDRY PARISH AS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT CAN BE ACHIEVED IN AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS.
FIVE NEW MEMBER OF THE ACADIA PARISH POLICE JURY WILL BE SWORN IN TONIGHT ALONG WITH THREE RETURNING POLICE JURORS. AFTER THE SWEARING IN, THEY WILL HOLD THEIR FIRST MEETING TO ELECT OFFICERS FOR THE COMING YEAR. THE CEREMONY BEGINS AT 6:30 TONIGHT IN THE POLICE JURY ROOM OF THE ACADIA PARISH COURTHOUSE.
