10-24-19
THE ADVOCATE NEWSPAPER IS REPORTING THAT LAFAYETTE MAYOR PRESIDENT JOEL ROBIDEAUX DID NOT GET APPROVAL FROM CONSULTING ENGINEERS BEFORE APPOINTING INTERIM DIRECTORS FOR LAFAYETTE UTILTIES SYSTEM AND L-U-S FIBER. A BOND COVENANT BETWEEN THE LAFAYETTE CONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENT AND THE BUYERS OF BONDS THAT FINANCED CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS FOR L-U-S AND L-U-S FIBER REQUIRES THE APPROVAL OF CONSULTING ENGINEERS BEFORE THE HIRING OF CHIEF OPERATING OFFICERS. IN AN EMAIL TO THE ADVOCATE, ROBIDEAUX SAID THEY DETERMINED THAT THE CONSULTING ENGINEER APPROVAL WAS ONLY NECESSARY IN APPOINTING A PERMANENT DIRECTOR. ON OCTOBER ELEVENTH, ROBIDEAUX APPOINTED LOWELL DUHON AS INTERIM DIRECTOR FOR L-U-S AND KAYLA MILES AS INTERIM DIRECTOR OF THE FIBER DIVISION.
ONE PERSON WAS KILLED IN A CRASH IN CALCASIEU PARISH TUESDAY NIGHT THAT INCLUDED A LOG TRUCK. LOUISIANA STATE POLICE SAY 67-YEAR-OLD JAMES EDGAR WILSON OF ORANGE, TEXAS WAS TRAVELING EAST IN THE WESTBOUND LANE OF L-A HIGHWAY 12 JUST EAST OF THE STATE LINE. AS HE APPROACHED A LOG TRUCK IN THE WESTBOUND LANE, THE LOG TRUCK TRIED TO AVOID WILSON’S VEHICLE BY MOVING INTO THE EASTBOUND LANE BUT WILSON ALSO CUT BACK INTO THAT LANE AND WAS HIT BY THE LOG TRUCK. WILSON WAS NOT WEARING A SEATBELT AND WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE WHILE THE DRIVER OF THE LOG TRUCK SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES.
- MARTINVILLE MAYOR MELINDA MITCHELL IS DEFENDING HERSELF AFTER BEING UNDER FIRE ONCE AGAIN FROM THE CITY COUNCIL. GERALD GREUNIG HAS MORE.
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Louisiana’s top higher education board is asking lawmakers to increase spending on public college programs by nearly $156 million next year. The Board of Regents approved the budget request Wednesday in Shreveport. The board says it’s aimed at doubling the number of degrees and workforce credentials by 2030, as envisioned by the state’s higher education master plan. The detailed request would boost state financing for higher education to $1.2 billion in the budget year that begins July 1.
THE LAFAYETTE CONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENT LAUNCHED 3-1-1-LAFAYETTE-DOT-SERVICES LAST WEEK AND ITS ALREADY RECEIVED A LOT OF REQUESTS. THE ONLINE SERVICE IS FOR ALL NON-EMERGENCY POLICE REQUESTS, BUT LOCAL OFFICIALS ARE HOPING THAT IT WILL BECOME AN ALL-IN-ONE TOOL FOR CONNECTING WITH THE GOVERNMENT. CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER RANDY GRAY TELLS KLFY TV THAT THEY HOPE THE SITE WILL BE WHERE RESIDENTS GO TO INTERACT WITH THE CITY. BY THE END OF THE YEAR ITS HOPED THE SITE, 3-1-1-LAFAYETTE-DOT-SERVICES, WILL BE SET UP TO RECEIVE PUBLIC WORKS REQUESTS.
Louisiana State Police are investigating a shooting by a sheriff’s deputy in Beauregard Parish. A news release said 31-year-old Joseph Spears was shot by one of the Beauregard Parish deputies who answered a disturbance call at a home in Merryville about 6 a.m. Tuesday. The brief statement released Tuesday said Spears’ injuries were not life-threatening and nobody else was injured. State police generally investigate shootings by officers in other law enforcement agencies around Louisiana.
CRIME STOPPERS OF ACADIA PARISH IS OFFERING A THOUSAND DOLLAR REWARD FOR INFORMATION THAT LEADS TO AN ARREST IN CONNECTION WITH A STRING OF CHURCH VANDALISMS. FIVE CHURCHES HAVE BEEN VANDALIZED SINCE JULY, FOUR OF THEM WITHIN THE LAST TWO WEEKS. IN EACH CASE, A HEAVY OBJECT SUCH AS A BRICK, HAS BEEN USED TO BREAK A GLASS DOOR OR WINDOW. POLICE CHIEF JIMMY BROUSSARD SAYS THAT THE PERSON RESPONSIBLE WILL LIKELY BE CHARGED WITH A HATE CRIME SINCE CHURCHES WERE TARGETED AND THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A RACIAL MOTIVATION BEHIND THE CRIMES.
HEALTH INSURANCE RATES IN LOUISIANA ARE EXPECTED TO RISE BY AN AVERAGE OF TEN PERCENT IN 2020. THAT COMPARES TO AN AVERAGE FOUR PERCENT DROP NATIONWIDE AMONG STATES SERVED BY THE FEDERAL HEALTHCARE-DOT-GOV WEBSITE. FRANK OPELKA WITH THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE SAYS THAT, IN COMPARISON, MOST STATES SAW AN INCREASE IN RATES THIS YEAR WHILE IN LOUISIANA, THE RATE DROPPED BY SIX-POINT-FOUR PERCENT. OVERALL BETWEEN 2016 AND 2020, PREMIUMS HAVE INCREASED BY 42 PERCENT IN LOUISIANA.
