10-8-15
LAST NIGHT THE LAFAYETTE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD VOTED TO ACCEPT A COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION FOR A TAX PROPOSAL TO FUND FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS. BOARD MEMBER JUSTIN CENTANNI TOLD THE ADVOCATE THAT THE VOTE WAS PROCEDURAL AND MEANS THEY WILL BE DISCUSSING THE PROPOSED TAX IN FUTURE MEETINGS. THE BOARD ALSO VOTED 8-TO-1 TO GIVE EMPLOYEES A 15-HUNDRED DOLLAR CHECK, WHICH COMES FROM EXCESS MONEY COLLECTED THROUGH A HALF CENT SALES TAX. THE BOARD DECIDED ON THE ONE TIME CHECK OVER GIVING EMPLOYEES A PERMANENT 500 DOLLAR SALARY INCREASE AND A ONE TIME CHECK OF 450 DOLLARS.
LAST NIGHT THE LAKE CHARLES CITY COUNCIL APPROVED A PERMIT FOR A MAJOR LUXURY APARTMENT COMPLEX ON ELLIOT ROAD. LAST MONTH, THE COUNCIL ANNEXED THE TWENTY ACRES WHERE THE COMPLEX WILL BE BUILT, BUT COUNCILMAN RODNEY GEYEN APPEALED. THE APPEAL WAS CONSIDERED AT LAST NIGHT’S MEETING, WHERE SIX RESIDENTS, WHO LIVE NEAR THE PROPOSED SITE, SPOKE OUT AGAINST IT FOR DIFFERENT REASONS. THE COUNCIL VOTED 4-TO-3 TO GIVE PERMISION FOR THE DEVELOPERS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE 280 UNIT COMPLEX.
66-YEAR-OLD RONALD DUNNAGAN OF BOSSIER CITY WAS SENTENCED YESTERDAY TO LIFE IN PRISON WITHOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF PAROLE. DUNNAGAN WAS CONVICTED FOR THE 1984 MURDER OF CROWLEY BUSINESSMAN GARY KERGAN. TED KERGAN, GARY’S BROTHER, GOT TO SPEAK TO DUNNAGAN WHILE ON THE WITNESS STAND, AND CALLED HIM A DEPRAVED MURDERER. DUNNAGAN’S ATTORNEY SAYS THEY WILL APPEAL HIS CONVICTION.
Three top contenders in the governor’s race, meeting in an evening debate, said they’d scale back tax breaks to dig Louisiana out of its recurring budget troubles.
Only Republican Jay Dardenne, the state’s lieutenant governor, said he’d consider an income tax hike on residents — and he said he’d consider it only after shrinking state government agencies and ratcheting back tax exemptions. Democrat John Bel Edwards, a state representative, said he’d expand the state’s Medicaid program to generate more money for the budget and lower income tax rates by getting rid of other tax breaks. Republican Scott Angelle, a state utility regulator, wants to set up a tax break review panel and said he’d eliminate those deemed to have little benefit.
YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED THE CAJUNDOME ROOF DOESN’T LOOK SO GOOD, BUT THAT’S ABOUT TO BE RECTIFIED. JULIE DARCE EXPLAINS.
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A LONG TIME LAKE CHARLES POLICE OFFICER, WHO WAS FIRED EARLIER THIS YEAR, HAD HIS APPEAL HEARD YESTERDAY BY THE FIRE AND POLICE CIVIL SERVICE BOARD. FORMER DEPUTY CHIEF T-J BELL, WHO HAD SERVED 28 YEARS IN THE DEPARTMENT, WAS ACCUSED OF MALFEASANCE IN OFFICE BECAUSE AN EMPLOYEE UNDER HIS COMMAND ALLEGEDLY WAS BEING PAID FOR TIME SHE DID NOT WORK. POLICE CHIEF DON DIXON TESTIFIED THAT FIRING BELL WAS THE TOUGHEST DECISION HE HAD TO MAKE IN HIS CAREER. HE SAID THE FACTS SPOKE FOR THEMSELVES, AND HE HAD NO CHOICE. THE HEARING CONTINUES TODAY.
TWO PEOPLE FROM FRANKLIN ARE ACCUSED OF OPERATING A METH LAB IN THE PRESENCE OF CHILDREN. 42-YEAR-OLD RICHARD FONTENOT AND 22-YEAR-OLD MIRANDA BROWN, BOTH OF WHOM LIVE IN THE HOME ON DUHON LANE, WERE ARRESTED TUESDAY. FONTENOT’S BOND WAS SET AT 100 THOUSAND DOLLARS. BROWN GOT OUT OF JAIL AFTER POSTING A 15-HUNDRED DOLLAR BOND.
Planned Parenthood is contesting the new approach Gov. Bobby Jindal’s administration has taken to remove it from Louisiana’s Medicaid program. The organization amended its lawsuit in federal court Wednesday, seeking to keep the state health department from ending its Medicaid provider agreements. Jindal, running for the GOP presidential nomination, had initially sought to oust Planned Parenthood’s clinics in Baton Rouge and New Orleans without providing a reason, citing a state law that allows cancellation with 30-day notice. The administration changed course and the health department cited Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast’s $4.3 million settlement of false claims allegations in Texas as reason to end its Louisiana Medicaid contract.
