11-1-16
LAFAYETTE MAYOR PRESIDENT JOEL ROBIDEAUX HAS MADE HIS CHOICE FOR THE NEWLY CREATED DEPUTY POLICE CHIEF POSITION. JULIE DARCE HAS MORE.
VOICER H :
Auditors say Louisiana’s health department paid nearly $1 million in Medicaid fees for people who no longer live in the state and weren’t eligible for health services through the program. The Legislative Auditor’s Office found that $943,000 in monthly fees were improperly paid from February 2012 through May 2016 for 160 people who had moved away from Louisiana. Based on auditors’ sampling, the report released Monday suggests another $1.5 million could have been paid in error. Louisiana’s Department of Health says it continues to work on improvements to its tracking of Medicaid enrollees.
BEGINNING TODAY, THE NORTH LAKE CHARLES REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY DISTRICT WILL BEGIN OFFERING UP VACANT PROPERTIES. THEY ARE OWNED BY THE CITY BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO PAY BACK LIENS AND BACK TAXES. THE HOPE IS THAT THE AUCTION WILL ENCOURAGE PROPERTY OWNERSHIP IN NORTH LAKE CHARLES AND REDUCE BLIGHT. THE PRESIDENT OF THE AUTHORITY, KATHLEEN BELLOW, SAYS THERE IS SO MUCH POTENTIAL FOR THE NORTH LAKE CHARLES AREA.
OPENING STATEMENTS WERE MADE YESTERDAY IN THE TRIAL OF IBERIA PARISH SHERIFF LOUIS ACKAL, WHO IS ACCUSED OF ENCOURAGING ABUSE BY HIS DEPUTIES AND COVER-UPS. THE PROSECUTOR IN THE CASE ALLEGES THAT ACKAL WAS PRESENT DURING AT LEAST TWO BEATINGS AT THE PARISH JAIL. HE SAID ACKAL WAS LIKE A CHEERLEADER, PROCLAIMING THAT THE JAIL WAS HIS AND HE WAS THE SHERIFF. ACKAL’S ATTORNEY DENIED THAT THE SHERIFF WAS PRESENT DURING ANY INMATE BEATING, AND HE DID NOT DIRECT OR CONDONE ABUSE.
PETROQUEST ENERGY IN LAFAYETTE REPORTED A THIRD QUARTER LOSS, BUT IT WAS NOT AS BAD AS LAST YEAR’S. THEIR THIRD QUARTER LOSS WAS 23-POINT-3 MILLION DOLLARS OR A DOLLAR-31 PER SHARE. LAST YEAR IN THE THIRD QUARTER, THEY LOST 51-POINT-9 MILLION DOLLARS OR THREE-19 PER SHARE. FOR THE FIRST NINE MONTHS OF THIS YEAR, PETROQUEST HAS LOST 86-POINT-6 MILLION DOLLARS COMPARED TO A 235-POINT-2 MILLION DOLLAR LOSS OVER THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR.
Louisiana’s early voting period is wrapping up. Voters have until 6 p.m. today to cast their ballots in advance of next week’s election, to choose the nation’s next president, to fill congressional seats and to select local elected officials around the state. Secretary of State Tom Schedler’s office says turnout has been “extremely high,” breaking early voting records from the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections, with nearly 73,000 people voting each day. In addition to the presidential race, Louisiana’s ballot includes the competition for an open U.S. Senate seat, with 24 contenders.
MORE THAN 15 THOUSAND CALCASIEU PARISH RESIDENTS HAVE VOTED SINCE EARLY VOTING BEGAN ONE WEEK AGO. CLERK OF COURT LYNN JONES SAYS SOME VOTERS HAVE EXPERIENCED TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES, BUT HE SAYS IT’S BECAUSE THE SCREENS ARE TOUCH SENSITIVE. HE SAYS SOMETIMES THE PERSON WILL ATTEMPT TO PRESS A BOX BUT THEIR FINGER IS NOT QUITE IN THE RIGHT PLACE AND IT DOESN’T REGISTER CORRECTLY. HE SAYS THEY ARE PROVIDING PENCILS WITH ERASERS SO IT WILL BE EASIER FOR THEM TO TOUCH THE SCREEN IN THE MIDDLE OF A BOX.
STATE POLICE HAVE RELEASED THE IDENTITY OF A PEDESTRIAN KILLED ON L-A 182 IN ST. LANDRY PARISH SUNDAY NIGHT. THEY SAY FOR UNKNOWN REASONS, 92-YEAR-OLD DALE BRITT OF OPELOUSAS STEPPED ONTO THE ROADWAY AND WAS STRUCK BY A KIA RIO DRIVEN BY 27-YEAR-OLD COREY JACKSON OF OPELOUSAS. BRITT WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE WHILE JACKSON SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES. TROOPERS SAY JACKSON WAS UNABLE TO AVOID BRITT AND THEY DO NOT SUSPECT IMPAIRMENT TO BE A FACTOR.
