1-22-21
THE PANDEMIC HAS FORCE STUDENTS IN ACADIANA TO ATTEND SCHOOL ONLINE OR ON HYBRID SCHEDULE THIS YEAR, BUT SOME STUDENTS WILL RETURN TO FACE TO FACE ON CAMPUS LEARNING.
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ON INAUGURATION DAY, ABOUT A DOZEN TEACHERS AND STAFF AT BREAUX BRIDGE HIGH SCHOOL WORE T-SHIRTS EMBLAZONED WITH “CHUCKS AND PEARLS”, WHICH ARE CLOTHING ITEMS WORN OFTEN BY THE NEW VICE PRESIDENT, KAMALA HARRIS. AT AROUND LUNCH TIME, THEY WERE INFORMED BY THE ADMINISTRATION THAT THEY HAD TO COVER IT UP, CHANGE OR GO HOME. SUPERINTENDENT AL BLANCHARD SAYS THE BOARD HAS A POLICY PROHIBITING EMPLOYEES FROM WEARING CLOTHES WITH POLITICAL STATEMENTS OR SUPPORTING CANDIDATES. ONE TEACHER WHO WORE THE SHIRT, JOY TRAHAN, TELLS KLFY TV THE SHIRTS WERE NOT POLITICAL BUT WERE ABOUT EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN.
A SULPHUR WOMAN HAS BEEN INDICTED ON A CHARGE OF SECOND DEGREE MURDER FOR THE STABBING DEATH OF HER BOYFRIEND. OFFICERS WERE DISPATCHED TO A RESIDENCE ON SOUTH IRWIN STREET ON THE NIGHT OF NOVEMBER THIRD WHERE THEY FOUND BYRON RAY LYING ON THE FLOOR WITH MULTIPLE STAB WOUNDS. HE LATER DIED AT THE HOSPITAL. HIS GIRLFRIEND, TWENTY-FOUR-YEAR-OLD CHELSEY PAIGE WHITE, WAS ARRESTED. BESIDES THE MURDER CHARGE, SHE WAS ALSO INDICTED FOR OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE.
The widow of Republican Congressman-elect Luke Letlow has registered to compete for the congressional seat her husband was unable to fill because of his death from COVID-19 complications. Julia Letlow described herself as grief-stricken but “having hope for the future.” She filed candidate paperwork Thursday for the March 20 election to represent northeast and central Louisiana. Six other candidates are in the race.
CHANGES TO THE PARKING METERS IN DOWNTOWN LAFAYETTE, WHICH WERE TO GO INTO EFFECT LAST TUESDAY, HAVE BEEN POSTPONED. THE PROPOSED CHANGES INCLUDED DOUBLING THE METER RATES AND TWENTY-FOUR SEVEN MONITORING. THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY AND DOWNTOWN LAFAYETTE UNLIMITED HAS SET UP A FORUM TO GET PUBLIC INPUT ON THE CHANGES. THE FORUM WILL TAKE PLACE ON WEDNESDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY THIRD, FROM EIGHT TO NINE AND WILL ACCOMMODATE UP TO FIFTY PEOPLE. IT CAN ALSO BE VIEWED ON THE DOWNTOWN LAFAYETTE FACEBOOK PAGE.
LAST NIGHT THE VERMILLION PARISH SCHOOL BOARD BECAME THE LATEST ACADIANA PARISH TO APPROVE AN EXTENSION OF COVID-NINETEEN SICK DAYS TO THEIR EMPLOYEES. THE TEN DAYS OF COVID LEAVE FOR TEACHERS AND STAFF IS EXTENDED THROUGH THE END OF JUNE. THE FEDERAL CARES ACT REQUIRED EMPLOYERS TO GIVE TEN DAYS OF SICK LEAVE FOR COVID-NINETEEN, BUT IT EXPIRED ON DECEMBER TWENTY-SEVENTH. THE OTHER ACADIANA SCHOOL BOARDS TO APPROVE EXTENDING THE LEAVE AS WELL ARE LAFAYETTE, IBERIA AND ST. MARY PARISHES.
HOSPITALIZATIONS FOR COVID-NINETEEN IN LOUISIANA CONTINUE TO TREND DOWNWARD WITH FIFTY-EIGHT FEWER IN YESTERDAY’S REPORT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. THERE ARE TEN LESS PATIENTS ON VENTILATORS. THERE ARE TWO THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED SEVENTY-NINE NEW CONFIRMED CASES IN THE STATE. THE TOTAL IS NEARLY AT THREE HUNDRED THIRTY-THREE THOUSAND. LOUISIANA HAD FORTY-SEVEN MORE DEATHS.
ACADIANA HAD THREE MORE DEATHS, INCLUDING TWO IN ST. LANDRY PARISH AND ONE IN LAFAYETTE PARISH. SOUTHWEST LOUISINA ALSO HAD THREE MORE DEATHS. TWO WERE IN CALCASIEU PARISH AND ONE IN JEFF DAVIS PARISH. THE TOTAL FOR SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA HAS MOVED ABOVE FIVE HUNDRED FOR THE FIRST TIME. THERE ARE NEARLY THREE HUNDRED NEW CASES IN ACADIANA, INCLUDING ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-FIVE IN LAFAYETTE PARISH. SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA HAD EIGHTY-SIX NEW CASES. MOST OF THAT IS IN CALCASIEU PARISH, WHICH HAD SIXTY-THREE NEW CASES.
