1-25-19
THE NAMES OF TWO PEOPLE KILLED IN A FIVE VEHICLE ACCIDENT ON I-TEN EARLY YESTERDAY MORNING NEAR THE LOUISIANA AVENUE EXIT HAVE BEEN RELEASED. THEY ARE 24-YEAR-OLD GERI GLASCO OF ARNAUDVILLE AND 45-YEAR-OLD KENNETH MCNEIL OF HOUSTON. GLASCO IS THE DAUGHTER OF U-L SOFTBALL COACH GERRY GLASCO AND WAS A VOLUNTEER COACH FOR THE TEAM. ACCORDING TO A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION, THE DRIVER OF AN 18-WHEELER FAILED TO SLOW DOWN IN TIME FOR SLOW MOVING TRAFFIC IN A CONSTRUCTION ZONE AND CAUSED A CHAIN REACTION.
THE ACCIDENT ON I-TEN YESTERDAY HAS PROMPTED BILL OLIVER OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND DEVELOPMENT TO URGE DRIVERS TO SLOW DOWN IN CONSTRUCTION ZONES WHERE LANES ARE NARROW. OLIVER SAYS THE CONSTRUCTION GOING ON AT THE LOUISIANA AVENUE EXIT WILL LIKELY BE FINISHED BY THE END OF THIS YEAR. HE SAYS IN JULY THEY WILL BEGIN WORK ON THE INTERSTATE BETWEEN BREAUX BRIDGE AND HENDERSON THAT SHOULD TAKE ABOUT TWO TO THREE YEARS TO COMPLETE. HE SAYS ONCE THAT’S COMPLETED, THERE WILL BE SIX LANES OF TRAFFIC FOR THAT STRETCH, THREE LANES IN EACH DIRECTION.
SCHOOL OFFICIALS IN BEAUREGARD AND ALLEN PARISHES ARE EXPRESSING CONCERN ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN AFFECTING THEIR ABILITY TO PROVIDE FREE AND REDUCED LUNCHES TO STUDENTS. CURRENTLY THERE ABOUT SIX THOUSAND STUDENTS WHO RECEIVE FREE OR REDUCED PRICE LUNCHES BETWEEN BOTH SCHOOL SYSTEMS. TERRI SMITH,CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAM SUPERVISOR FOR BEAUREGARD PARISH, SAYS THEY ARE GETTING REIMBURSEMENTS NOW, BUT THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SAYS THOSE REIMBURSEMENTS WILL BE REEVALUATED IF THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN CONTINUES AFTER MARCH. THE CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAM SUPERVISOR FOR ALLEN PARISH, APRIL FRUGE-HALL, SAYS THEY DO HAVE EMERGENCY FUNDING AVAILABLE IF THE SHUTDOWN LASTS THAT LONG.
A STATE JUDGE HAS ADVANCED A LAWSUIT ALLEGING THAT THE STATE VIOLATES POOR DEFENDANT’S RIGHTS. THE LAWSUIT COULD UPEND LOUISIANA’S STRUGGLING PUBLIC DEFENSE SYSTEM. THE LAWSUIT CLAIMS LOUISIANA’S PUBLIC DEFENSE SYSTEM DOES NOT ADEQUATLEY PROVIDE REPRESENTATION TO THE POOR. THE STATE TRIED UNSUCCESSFULLY TO DISMISS THE LAWSUIT, CLAIMING IT WAS UP TO THE LEGISLATURE TO PROVIDE ANY FIXES TO THE PUBLIC DEFENSE SYSTEM.
THERE’S A NEW APP DESIGNED TO KEEP STUDENTS AND STAFF SAFE AT LAFAYETTE PARISH SCHOOLS. JEFF HORCHAK HAS MORE.
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ENROLLMENT AT T-M LANDRYCOLLEGE PREP HAS DECLINED SINCE THE SCHOOL CAME UNDER INVESTIGATION. AN ARTICLE IN THE TIMES OF ACADIANA ALLEGED THAT THE SCHOOL FOUNDERS, MICHAEL AND TRACEY LANDRY, EMBELLISHED COLLEGE APPLICATIONS FOR SOME STUDENTS TO ENHANCE THEIR CHANCES OF ADMISSION AND MICHAEL LANDRY HAS BEEN ACCUSED OF BEING PHYSICALLY ABUSIVE. THAT’S PROMPTED AN INTERNAL INVESTIGATION CONDUCTED BY FORMER LOUISIANA EDUCATION SUPERINTENDENT PAUL PASTOREK AND A NEW ORLEANS LAW FIRM. ENROLLMENT IN THE FALL AT THE SCHOOL WAS AT 110, BUT IT HAS DROPPED TO ABOUT EIGHTY STUDENTS, ACCORDING TO THE CHAIR OF THE SCHOOL’S BOARD, GREG DAVIS.
LOUISIANA INSURANCE COMMISSIONER JIM DONELON HAS DRAWN A CHALLENGER FROM WITHIN HIS OWN PARTY. REPUBLICAN TIM TEMPLE OF BATON ROUGE SAYS HE WILL RUN FOR THE OFFICE ON THE OCTOBER TWELFTH BALLOT. TEMPLE CITED HIS EXPERIENCE WORKING AS A LOCAL INSURANCE AGENT AND AS AN INSURANCE INDUSTRY EXECUTIVE. TEMPLE SAYS AUTO INSURANCE RATES IN THE STATE ARE TOO HIGH AND THERE ARE TOO FEW COMPANIES WRITING INSURANCE POLICIES IN THE STATE.
A SULPHUR WOMAN HAS BEEN JAILED WHEN AN EIGHT-MONTH-OLD BABY IN HER CARE DIED. POLICE SAY 26-YEAR-OLD LACEY A. BLOUNT WAS USING METHAMPHETAMINE AND MARIJUANA WHILE CARING FOR THE BABY. POLICE HAVE NOT REVEALED THE CAUSE OF THE BABY’S DEATH. BLOUNT WAS BOOKED INTO THE CALCASIEU CORRECTIONAL CENTER ON SEVERAL CHARGES INCLUDING NEGLIGENT HOMOCIDE.
