1-29-15
Amid falling oil prices, a South Africa-based energy company is delaying final plans for a major $14 billion gas-to-liquid plant in Calcasieu Parish. Sasol made the announcement Wednesday in a news release about its plans to conserve cash in response to lower world oil prices. The statement says construction on an ethane cracker at its complex near Lake Charles will continue. And the company made clear that plans for the gas-to-liquid plant are not being abandoned.
A LAFAYETTE CITY PARISH COUNCILMAN IS PROPOSING A SMOKING BAN FOR BARS. COUNCILMAN KENNETH BOUDREAUX ANNOUNCED YESTERDAY HE WILL BRING THE PROPOSAL BEFORE THE COUNCIL WITHIN 90 DAYS, AND, IF APPROVED, IT WOULD APPLY TO ALL BARS IN THE LAFAYETTE CITY LIMITS AND IN THE UNINCORPORATED PARTS OF THE PARISH. BOUDREAUX SAYS HE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE HEALTH OF THE WORKERS AT BARS WHO DON’T SMOKE. THE ADVOCATE INTERVIEWED COUNCIL MEMBERS AND FOUND THREE FOR THE MEASURE, THREE AGAINST, AND THREE HAVE NOT MADE UP THEIR MIND.
STATE SENATOR JONATHAN PERRY HAS FILED A PROPOSAL WITH THE STATE LEGISLATURE TO RENAME A PORTION OF HIGHWAY 167 IN HONOR OF A VERMILLION PARISH SHERIFF’S DEPUTY. JULIE DARCE HAS MORE.
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Gov. Bobby Jindal says his budget cut proposal for next year will be presented to lawmakers with a list of “options” for lessening some of the slashing. The state faces a $1.6 billion shortfall for the upcoming fiscal year. The Jindal administration is considering state financing cuts up to $400 million for public colleges and $300 million to health care services. Jindal’s budget proposal is due to lawmakers at the end of February.
A CALCASIEU PARISH JURY HAS FOUND A MAN FROM MEXICO GUILTY OF THE 2008 RAPE AND MURDER OF A LAKE CHARLES WOMAN. 26-YEAR-OLD WANDA BARTON WAS STABBED 16 TIMES AND HER BODY WAS FOUND BY FAMILY MEMBERS. 26-YEAR-OLD JOSE MANUEL GARCIA GUEVERA, WHO WAS ILLEGALLY IN THE COUNTRY AT THE TIME, WAS A NEIGHBOR WHO FLED TO MEXICO AFTER BEING CHARGED WITH THE CRIME. HE WAS EXTRADITED BY MEXICAN AUTHORITIES AFTER THE CALCASIEU PARISH DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE AGREED NOT TO PURSUE THE DEATH PENALTY.
A SEXUAL HARASSMENT LAWSUIT HAS BEEN FILED AGAINST THE PRINCIPAL OF CARENCRO MIDDLE SCHOOL. SANDRA STEVENS, WHO WAS A SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER AT CARENCRO MIDDLE UNTIL SHE TRANSFERRED TO BROUSSARD MIDDLE, CLAIMS THE PRINCIPAL, SPURGEON BANYARD, HARASSED HER AND MADE UNWANTED ADVANCES OVER A SIX MONTH PERIOD. SHE SAYS SHE TOOK THE MATTER TO FORMER SUPERINTENDENT PAT COOPER AND OTHER DISTRICT OFFICIALS, WHO TOLD HER BANYARD HAD NOT VIOLATED ANY BOARD POLICY OR STATE LAWS. A SIMILAR LAWSUIT AGAINST BANYARD BY FORMER CARENCRO MIDDLE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR ADA THOMAS IS STILL PENDING IN DISTRICT COURT.
CENTRAL PARK IN BAYOU VISTA IS GETTING A ONE-POINT-5 MILLION DOLLAR UPGRADE. THE CHAIRMAN OF ST. MARY PARISH RECREATION DISTRICT THREE, STAN ROBISON, SAYS AN 18 HOLE MINIGOLF COURSE IS BEING ADDED AS WELL AS A BEGINNER’S ADDITION TO THE SKATE PARK, AN 18 FOOT SPLASH PAD, A GOLF COURSE CLUBHOUSE, A PARTY ROOM, AND AN OUTDOOR PAVILION. HE SAYS THE PARK ALREADY HAS 16 SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS. CONSTRUCTION IS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED SOMETIME BETWEEN THE FOURTH OF JULY AND LABOR DAY.
BP is selling part of its stake in an emerging oil-producing region in the Gulf of Mexico to Chevron, and the two companies, along with Conoco Phillips, will work to develop the fields together. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The joint-development agreement is a way for the companies to try to reduce the cost and risk of exploring and developing large, complex fields in the Gulf’s deep waters at a time of low oil prices. Under the deal, which spans 24 jointly-held offshore leases, Chevron will replace BP as project operator.
