10-6-16
FRANK’S INTERNATIONAL IS PLANNING ANOTHER ROUND OF LAYOFFS BECAUSE OF LOW OIL PRICES. THE COMPANY WAS NOT SPECIFIC ON HOW MANY WORKERS WOULD BE AFFECTED, BUT DID SAY SOME OF THE LAYOFFS WILL COME FROM THE LAFAYETTE AREA. THIS IS AT LEAST THE FOURTH ROUND OF LAYOFFS THE COMPANY HAS HAD SINCE LAST YEAR, ACCORDING TO THE ADVOCATE. FRANK’S INTERNATIONAL RELEASED A STATEMENT THAT THEY ARE REALIGNING THEIR WORKFORCE AND PRODUCTION LEVELS TO POSITION THEM WELL TO MEET MARKET DEMANDS IN THE FUTURE.
THE CALCASIEU PARISH SCHOOL BOARD IS INVESTIGATING CREEPY CLOWN SIGHTINGS OUTSIDE OF S-J WELSH MIDDLE SCHOOL IN LAKE CHARLES. ACCORDING TO KPLC TV, A CLOWN WAS SEEN DURING THE DAY LAST FRIDAY AND AGAIN THAT NIGHT OUTSIDE OF A DANCE. THE CALCASIEU PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE ALSO HAS RECEIVED CALLS ABOUT CLOWN SIGHTINGS BUT DEPUTY CHIEF STITCH GUILLORY SAYS THEY CAN’T REALLY DO ANYTHING UNTIL A CRIME IS COMMITTED. HE SAYS IF A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC DOES SEE SOMETHING SUSPICIOUS, THEY CAN CALL THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE AND THEY WILL COME OUT AND INVESTIGATE.
Justice Department prosecutors say the Iberia Parish sheriff isn’t entitled to have his criminal case reassigned to the federal judge who was mysteriously pulled off the high-profile case without explanation. A court filing Wednesday by prosecutors doesn’t shed any light on why U.S. District Judge Patricia Minaldi was removed from the case against Sheriff Louis Ackal. Chief Judge Dee Drell, of the Western District of Louisiana, didn’t explain in his one-page order why he reassigned the cases against Ackal and several subordinates to another judge in March. Ackal’s attorney, John McLindon, has asked the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to transfer the case back to Minaldi.
LOUISIANA WILL EVENTUALLY RECEIVE MORE THAN 5-POINT-8 BILLION DOLLARS FROM B-P TO HELP REPAIR THE ERODING COASTLINE. THAT’S ACCORDING TO LAFAYETTE ATTORNEY PATRICK JUNEAU, WHO HAS BEEN THE ADMINISTRATOR IN CHARGE SINCE IN 2012. HE SAYS THE SETTLEMENT WITH B-P IS THE LARGEST BY A SINGLE PAYER IN U-S HISTORY. HE SAYS THE EIGHT ACADIANA PARISHES WILL REALIZE MORE THAN HALF A BILLION DOLLARS FROM THE SETTLEMENT.
THE LAFAYETTE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS SEEN A SPIKE IN THE NUMBER OF APPLICANTS FOR POLICE OFFICER POSITIONS. CORPORAL WAYNE GRIFFIN SAYS 102 APPLICANTS WILL TAKE THE REQUIRED STATE CIVIL SERVICE EXAM ON OCTOBER 26TH. HE ATTRIBUTES THE HIGH NUMBERS TO LAID OFF OIL FIELD WORKERS LOOKING FOR A NEW CAREER AND HIGH PROFILE SHOOTINGS IN BATON ROUGE AND DALLAS, THAT HAS GALVANIZED SUPPORT FOR THE DEPARTMENT. GRIFFIN SAYS HE EXPECTS BETWEEN TEN AND 15 VACANCIES IN THE DEPARTMENT BY THE END OF THE YEAR DUE TO RETIREMENTS AND FIVE NEW POSITIONS THAT WERE FUNDED BY THE CITY PARISH COUNCIL BEGINNING NEXT MONTH.
LAST NIGHT THE LAKE CHARLES CITY COUNCIL APPROVED A LOW BID OF 610 THOUSAND DOLLARS FROM PAT WILLIAMS CONSTRUCTION FOR RENOVATION INSIDE THE LAKE CHARLES CIVIC CENTER. DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY SERVICES PERCY BROWN SAYS THEY WILL CONVERT OFFICES ON THE SECOND FLOOR INTO MULTIPURPOSE ROOMS THAT CAN BE USED FOR WEDDINGS. THEY’LL ALSO CONVERT THE CURRENT LOCKER ROOM INTO SPECIAL DRESSING ROOMS FOR GUESTS, AND MAKE OTHER IMPROVEMENTS SUCHS AS ELECTRICAL AND SOUND SYSTEM TECHNOLOGY AND ANOTHER CONFERENCE ROOM. CONSTRUCTION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.
- LANDRY PARISH SCHOOLS HAVE A NEW SUPERINTENDENT. JULIE DARCE HAS MORE.
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THE FORMER GENERAL MANAGER OF CYPRESS BAYOU CASINO IN CHARENTON HAS PLED GUILTY TO A MISDEMEANOR CHARGE FOR AN IMPROPER BONUS PAID TO THE CHITIMACHA TRIBAL COUNCIL CHAIRMAN. ANTHONY PATRONE WAS ARRESTED IN FEBRUARY ALONG WITH THE COUNCIL CHAIR O’NEIL DARDEN AND FORMER C-F-O MONTE SPIVEY. PATRONE ARRANGED FOR A NEARLY FOUR THOUSAND DOLLAR BONUS FOR SPIVEY, WITHOUT GETTING THE REQUIRED APPROVAL BY THE TRIBAL COUNCIL. THE COUNCIL RELEASED A STATEMENT YESTERDAY SAYING PATRONE HAD BEEN ON SUSPENSION PENDING THE INVESTIGATION AND NOW, WITH THE GUILTY PLEA, THEY ARE CUTTING TIES WITH HIM.
