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AROUND 28-HUNDRED PEOPLE ATTENDED A JOB FAIR IN LAFAYETTE, HOPING TO GET A JOB FROM ONE OF THE 17 BUSINESSES AT THE NEW AMBASSADOR TOWN CENTER SHOPPING COMPLEX. MANY OF THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NEW BUSINESSES EXPRESSED SURPRISE AT HOW MANY SHOWED UP. TRAFFIC WAS TIED UP OUTSIDE THE JOB FAIR ON PINHOOK AND LINES OF APPLICANTS SNAKED THROUGH THE LOBBY OF THE HOTEL WHERE THE EVENT WAS HELD. ABOUT SIX TO SEVEN HUNDRED JOBS WILL BE FILLED WHEN THE BUSINESSES OPEN, POSSIBLY AS EARLY AS MARCH.
A REPORT DETAILING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES FOR SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA HAS BEEN RELEASED BY THE IMPERIAL CALCASIEU REGIONAL PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT. THE INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JERRY JONES SAYS THE OBVIOUS STRENGTHS FOR THE REGION ARE THE NUMBER OF NEW PLANTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE BUILT. HE URGES ANYONE LOOKING TO OPEN A NEW BUSINESS TO DO IT NOW BEFORE PROPERTY PRICES GO UP. THE ORGANIZATION SAYS IN THE REPORT THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE OPENNESS IN THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND, JONES SAYS, THEY RECOMMEND THAT ALL PUBLIC MEETINGS BE AIRED ON PUBLIC ACCESS CHANNELS.
The Justice Department says a former Mamou police chief has been sentenced to a prison term for using a stun gun on a jail inmate who didn’t pose a threat. The former chief, 44-year-old Robert McGee, was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge Richard T. Haik Sr. to one year and one day in prison. McGee pleaded guilty in October to violating the civil rights of an inmate who was being held at the city’s jail in August 2010. Gregory Dupuis, another former Mamou police chief, pleaded guilty last year to illegally using a stun gun on a different jail inmate.
Gov. John Bel Edwards struck a conciliatory tone with business leaders who backed his opponent in last year’s governor’s race, describing himself as a “willing partner” with them. In his first week in office, the new governor spoke Thursday at the annual meeting of the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry as he works on a package of tax proposals that could hit companies with cuts to their favored tax break programs. Edwards said he was committed to having a strong business climate in Louisiana. But he also warned that those assembled may not like some of the ideas he proposes to stabilize the state budget.
LAFAYETTE REGIONAL AIRPORT IS ONE STEP CLOSER TO A BIGGER AND BETTER TERMINAL. JULIE DARCE EXPLAINS.
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THE CALCASIEU PARISH POLICE JURY HOSTED THREE OPEN HOUSES THIS WEEK TO GATHER PUBLIC INPUT ON DRAINAGE ISSUES. RESIDENTS OF MOSS BLUFF, WHO ATTENDED AN OPEN HOUSE THERE LAST NIGHT, SAY THEY WANT SOMETHING DONE NOW TO ADDRESS FLOODING PROBLEMS, BUT PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR ALLEN WAINWRIGHT SAYS THEY ARE LOOKING AT SOLVING LONG TERM PROBLEMS AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS. HE SAYS THE OPEN HOUSES GAVE THE PARISH GOVERNMENT THE OPPORTUNITY TO GATHER PUBLIC FEEDBACK AND TALK ABOUT PREVENTITIVE MEASURES. HE SAYS ALL FEEDBACK WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE POLICE JURY’S DRAINAGE COMMITTEE, WHICH MEETS LATER THIS MONTH.
AUTHORITIES ARE LOOKING FOR A NEW IBERIA MAN WHO ALLEGEDLY LED JEANERETTE CITY MARSHALLS ON A HIGH SPEED CHASE. THE CHASE BEGAN YESTERDAY MORNING AT AROUND 10:30 WHEN MARSHALS ATTEMPTED TO PULL OVER 23-YEAR-OLD TREY ESTELLE, AND IT ENDED WHEN HE AND THREE POLICE VEHICLES CRASHED NEAR LANDRY’S TRUCK STOP ON HIGHWAY 90. ESTELLE MANAGED TO ESCAPE ON FOOT AFTER THE CRASH AND A MANHUNT WAS CALLED OFF AFTER THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIND HIM. INVESTIGATORS BELIEVE ESTELLE IS SOMEWHERE IN ST. MARY PARISH AND, WHEN THEY FIND HIM, HE’LL FACE SEVERAL CHARGES INCLUDING AGGRAVATED FLIGHT FROM AN OFFICER AND SWITCHED LICENSE PLATES.
President Barack Obama is congratulating Louisiana’s new governor on plans to expand Medicaid — and saying John Bel Edwards’ first task is to “clean up some stuff” from his Republican predecessor. Republican Bobby Jindal left office this week, having earlier dropped out of the GOP presidential race. Jindal had refused to expand Medicaid, saying it would be too costly. But Obama said Edwards’ move is a “bold and wise step” and will actually help state finances.
