10-30-19
LAFAYETTE POLICE HAVE ISSUED A WARNING TO PAY ATTENTION WHEN YOUR BANKING AT AN ATM OR FINANCIAL INSTITUTION. CAROLINE MARCELLO HAS MORE.
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ABOUT TWO HUNDRED TEACHERS HAVE LEFT THE CALCASIEU PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS, ACCORDING TO A FACEBOOK POST BY THE CALCASIEU FEDERATION OF TEACHERS AND SCHOOL EMPLOYEES. PRESIDENT TERI JOHNSON SAYS IT’S A PROBLEM SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING WITH FOR A LONG TIME. HOWEVER, TERRY COLLINS, THE COORDINATOR OF TEACHER LEADER SUPPORT FOR CALCASIEU PARISH SCHOOLS, SAYS THAT NUMBER, WHILE LOOKING BIG, IS ACTUALLY NORMAL. HE SAYS THEY ARE WORKING TO GIVE FIRST YEAR TEACHERS THE BEST TRAINING AND SUPPORT THROUGH A NEW TEACHER ACADEMY THAT THEY ARE HOPING TO CONTINUE.
THE ACADIA PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE HAS ARRESTED THREE MEN IN CONNECTION WITH AN ATTEMPTED ARMED ROBBERY ON OCTOBER 18TH. THE THREE HAD ARRANGED TO MEET WITH A MAN AT A HOME ON VALTON CASTILLE ROAD NEAR CHURCH POINT AND WHEN HE ARRIVED, THEY JUMPED HIM AND TRIED TO ROB HIM. THE VICTIM WAS SHOT AND WOUNDED BUT MANAGED TO GRAB THE GUN AND RETURN FIRE, STRIKING ONE OF THEM. THE THREE WHO WERE ARRESTED, 22-YEAR-OLD JAQUON CORMIER OF RAYNE, 20-YEAR-OLD BLAZE DUPUIS OF RAYNE AND 25-YEAR-OLD ANDREW JOLIVETTE OF CROWLEY ARE ALL BEING CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED SECOND DEGREE MURDER AND ARMED ROBBERY.
An organization challenging Louisiana’s permit requirements for hair braiders has won a round in state court. A state judge in Baton Rouge has rejected a move to dismiss the suit filed against the Louisiana Board of Cosmetology by the Virginia-based Institute for Justice. The organization filed the suit in June on behalf of three practitioners of natural hair braiding techniques practiced widely in African American communities. The suit says the permit requirements, including 500 hours of training, are onerous and unnecessary.
SAINTS QUARTERBACK DREW BREES WAS IN LAFAYETTE YESTERDAY TO TOUR A NEW FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS THAT HE CO-OWNS. THE SURGE ENTERTAINMENT CENTER, IN THE BUILDING THAT FORMERLY HOUSED THE HOPE ALIVE CHURCH LOCATED AT THE CORNER OF WEST PINHOOK AND VEROT SCHOOL ROAD, IS TARGETING A MID NOVEMBER OPENING DATE. IT WILL FEATURE A TRAMPOLINE PARK, BOWLING LANES, A RESTAURANT, BATTING CAGES AND MORE. GENERAL MANAGER NAT BELLONI SAYS THEY WILL EMPLOY AT LEAST 130 PEOPLE AND, SO FAR, ABOUT ONE HUNDRED HAVE BEEN HIRED.
THE CALCASIEU PARISH POLICE JURY IS ONCE AGAIN CONDUCTING A CITIZEN SURVEY SEEKING INPUT ON THE SERVICES IT PROVIDES. POLICE JURY COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR TOM HOEFER SAYS LAST YEAR THEY GOT FEEDBACK FROM MORE THAN SEVEN HUNDRED PEOPLE AND THEY’D LIKE TO GET IN THAT RANGE AGAIN. HE SAYS THE SURVEY WILL BE ESPECIALLY HELPFUL FOR ALL THE NEW POLICE JURORS THAT WILL BE SEATED NEXT YEAR TO KNOW WHAT CONCERNS RESIDENTS. SURVEYS CAN BE COMPLETED ONLINE AT C-P-P-J-DOT-NET-SLASH-CITIZEN SURVEY, OR IN PERSON AT THE PARISH GOVERNMENT BUILDING, UNTIL NOVEMBER 15TH.
THE CITY OF BREAUX BRIDGE RECENTLY RECEIVED FIVE MILLION DOLLARS FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND DEVELOPMENT TO RESTORE ITS HISTORIC DOWNTOWN BRIDGE. THE CITY HAD RECEIVE ONE-AND-A-HALF MILLION TWO YEARS AGO TO REPAINT AND POWER WASH IT. THAT’S WHEN THE D-O-T-D REALIZED MORE WAS NEEDED TO BE DONE FOR THE BRIDGE THAN TO JUST TOUCH IT UP. MAYOR RICKY CALAIS SAYS THE BRIDGE IS ON THE LIST OF HISTORIC BRIDGES WHICH MEANS ANY WORK DONE WILL HAVE TO ATTEMPT TO RESTORE IT TO ITS ORIGINAL CONDITION.
A Louisiana legislative audit says the Department of Public Safety and Corrections is failing to properly track inmate release dates, leading to many errors including miscalculating parole eligibility. The Advocate reports the audit, released last week, says the department has an inadequate review process for sentencing calculations. Auditors say 40 sentence computations were tested, and five had inaccurate information, leading to incorrect release dates, missed rehabilitation program credits or incorrect parole eligibility classifications. The newspaper says the current audit echoes a 2017 report outlining the same issues.
