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U-L LAFAYETTE HAS JOINED OTHER UNIVERSITIES AROUND THE NATION THAT ARE BANNING HOVERBOARDS ON CAMPUS. THERE ARE NOW MORE THAN THIRTY UNIVERSITIES ENFORCING THE BAN, INCLUDING L-S-U AND SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA UNIVERSITY. THE BAN IS THE RESULT OF SAFETY CONCERNS INCLUDING REPORTS OF THE HOVERBOARDS CATCHING FIRE, INCLUDING TWO INCIDENTS IN LOUISIANA. U-L LAFAYETTE URGED STUDENTS TO LEAVE THE HOVERBOARDS AT HOME WHEN THEY RETURN FOR SPRING CLASSES.
BILLY NAVARRE DIED YESTERDAY MORNING AFTER A LENGTHY ILLNESS. NAVARRE OWNED SEVERAL AUTO DEALERSHIPS IN LAKE CHARLES AND SULPHUR. HE STARTED HIS FIRST DEALERSHIP IN 1982 AT THE AGE OF 26. NAVARRE WON NUMEROUS AWARDS OVER THE YEARS FOR HIS PHILANTHROPIC EFFORTS, INCLUDING CITIZEN OF THE YEAR IN 2008 BY THE SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
NO DECISIONS HAVE YET BEEN MADE ON IF OR WHEN THE MORGANZA SPILLWAY WILL BE OPENED TO DIVERT MISSISSIPPI RIVER FLOODWATERS INTO THE ATCHAFALAYA RIVER, WHICH FLOWS TO MORGAN CITY. COLONEL RICHARD HANSEN, HEAD OF THE U-S ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS IN NEW ORLEANS, TOLD RESIDENTS IN ST. MARTIN PARISH THAT IT COULD HAPPEN AS EARLY AS TUESDAY. HE TOLD ST. MARY PARISH RESIDENTS THAT THERE COULD BE FLOODING IN THAT AREA EVEN IF THE SPILLWAY ISN’T OPENED. THE MORGANZA SPILLWAY HAS ONLY BEEN OPENED TWICE SINCE IT WAS BUILT IN 1954, THE LAST TIME IN 2011.
At least four of Louisiana’s former governors will watch Gov.-elect John Bel Edwards take the oath of office at his inauguration ceremony Monday. Edwards spokesman Richard Carbo says outgoing Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal, who is term-limited, will attend the ceremony to watch his Democratic successor take over the job. Carbo says former Govs. Edwin Edwards, Buddy Roemer and Kathleen Blanco also will be on hand at the event. Former Gov. Mike Foster’s attendance is questionable because Carbo says the two-term Republican governor hasn’t been feeling well.
A Louisiana pro-life group is raising concerns about Gov.-elect John Bel Edwards’ choice for state health secretary, saying Rebekah Gee “has troubling connections” to abortion rights organizations. Edwards, a Democrat who ran as an anti-abortion candidate, named Gee this week to lead the Department of Health and Hospitals.
Benjamin Clapper, executive of Louisiana Right to Life, said Thursday that Gee made a speech at a “Pro-Choice Massachusetts” annual meeting, received an award from an abortion rights group and has ties to Planned Parenthood. Edwards spokeswoman Julie Baxter Payer says Gee understands she works for a governor who is opposed to abortion and will follow Edwards’ directives on the issue.
LAFAYETTE POLICE ARRESTED A TEENAGER FOR BRINGING A LOADED GUN TO SCHOOL. JEFF HORCHEK HAS MORE.
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A MAJOR REPAIR OF THE I-210 BRIDGE IN LAKE CHARLES IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN THIS SUMMER, ACCORDING TO OFFICIALS WITH THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND DEVELOPMENT, WHO WERE AT A MEETING OF THE CALCASIEU PARISH POLICE JURY LAST NIGHT. TODD LANDRY TOLD THE JURY THE REPAIRS ARE EXPECTED TO LAST ABOUT TWO YEARS AND INCLUDES REPLACING THE MAIN SPAN DECK WHICH IS 930 FEET LONG. HE SAYS THERE WILL ALSO BE NEW ROADWAY LIGHTING AND A MODERN BRIDGE RAILING. HE SAYS THEY WILL TRY TO EASE CONGESTION BY KEEPING THREE LANES OPEN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
A EUNICE MAN HAS BEEN ARRESTED IN CONNECTION WITH AN ARMED ROBBERY IN CROWLEY LAST WEEK. 34-YEAR-OLD TRAVIS FINLEY WAS IDENTIFIED AS ONE OF FOUR MEN WHO ROBBED THE AT&T STORE ON ODDFELLOWS ROAD ON DECEMBER 29TH AT AROUND SEVEN P-M. CROWLEY POLICE WORKED WITH THE EUNICE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND CITY MARSHAL’S OFFICE TO TAKE FINLEY INTO CUSTODY WITHOUT INCIDENT, AND HE’S SINCE BEEN TRANSFERRED TO THE ACADIA PARISH JAIL. THEY ARE STILL WORKING TO IDENTIFY THE THREE OTHER SUSPECTS AND ASK ANYONE WITH INFORMATION TO CALL CRIME STOPPERS OF ACADIA PARISH AT 789-TIPS.
