11-10-17
LAFAYETTE CITY MARSHAL BRIAN POPE IS SUING LAFAYETTE CITY OFFICIALS FOR RELEASING PUBLIC DOCUMENTS TO THE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER WITHOUT HIS AUTHORIZATION. THE LAWSUIT SAYS FORMER CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER DEE STANLEY AND FORMER CITY ATTORNEY MIKE HEBERT SHOULD NOT HAVE ACCESSED POPE’S EMAILS BECAUSE HE IS INDEPENDENT OF THE CITY PARISH GOVERNMENT. THE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER MADE A PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST OF POPE’S EMAILS AND THE EMAILS POPE GAVE THEM AND THE CITY PARISH GOVERNMENT GAVE THEM DID NOT MATCH. POPE LATER TESTIFIED IN COURT ABOUT THE REQUESTS WHICH LED TO PERJURY INDICTMENTS.
TWO PEOPLE WERE KILLED IN BEAUREGARD PARISH LAST NIGHT WHEN A PICKUP TRUCK COLLIDED WITH A LOG TRUCK. STATE TROOPERS DETERMINED THROUGH AN INVESTIGATION THAT THE DRIVER OF THE GMC SIERRA CROSSED INTO THE PATH OF THE LOG TRUCK ON L-A 112. THE DRIVER OF THE PICKUP, 86-YEAR-OLD ELAINE PICARD, AND HER PASSENGER, 82-YEAR-OLD WILLARD PICARD, BOTH FROM DRY CREEK, WERE PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE. THE DRIVER OF THE LOG TRUCK, 68-YEAR-OLD CHARLES DAVIS OF DERIDDER, WAS FLOWN TO RAPIDES REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER WITH MODERATE INJURIES.
A FOUR MONTH LONG INVESTIGATION BY STATE POLICE INTO THE SHOOTING OF DEJUAN GUILLORY LAST JULY BY AN EVANGELINE PARISH SHERIFF’S DEPUTY HAS BEEN COMPLETED. THE REPORT IS NOW IN THE HANDS OF THE EVANGELINE PARISH DISTRICT ATTORNEY, WHO WILL DECIDE IF ANY CHARGES ARE FILED. THE DEPUTY SAYS IN A STATEMENT THAT HE STOPPED GUILLORY AND HIS GIRLFRIEND, DEQUINCE BROWN, IN AN INVESTIGATION OVER A STOLEN ALL TERRAIN VEHICLE, AND THE TWO ATTACKED HIM. GUILLORY’S MOTHER, WHO IS A FORMER POLICE OFFICER, SAID HER SON WAS MURDERED.
Gov. John Bel Edwards says lawmakers who don’t want to replace more than $1 billion in expiring taxes should detail how they intend to cut that amount of state spending. The Democratic governor made his comments Thursday to Together Louisiana, a group of faith-based and community leaders, as he urged members to push for the taxes to be replaced. Edwards didn’t name names. But his words were aimed at House Republicans who have blocked previous tax packages to offset the June 30th tax expiration.
THE ROAD WORK THAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING ON KALISTE SALOOM IN LAFAYETTE SINCE SEPTEMBER IS EXPECTED TO LAST FOR ANOTHER SIX MONTHS, ACCORDING TO JARED VEAZEY, AN ENGINEER WITH THE LAFAYETTE CONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENT. HE TELLS THE DAILY ADVERTISER CREWS HAVE BEEN WORKING TO FIX CRACKS AND SPOILING IN THE CONCRETE IN THE OUTSIDE LANES. VEAZEY SAYS THE REPAIRS WILL DELAY ANY NEED FOR MAJOR MAINTENANCE FOR ANOTHER TEN TO 15 YEARS. THE CONES WILL BE TAKEN DOWN BETWEEN NOVEMBER 18TH AND 27TH AND AGAIN BETWEEN DECEMBER 21ST AND JANUARY SECOND.
AN UPDATED STUDY OF THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE CALCASIEU SHIP CHANNEL FOR THE SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA ECONOMY IS EVEN MORE OPTIMISTIC. THE ORIGINAL STUDY CONDUCTED TWO YEARS AGO BY C-S-R-S AND TAIMERICA PREDICTED NINE THOUSAND MORE JOBS BY 2023, BUT THE NEW STUDY PREDICTS 10,700 ADDITIONAL JOBS. THE CHANNEL WAS PREDICTED TO GENERATE TEN BILLION DOLLARS BY 2023, BUT THEY’VE UPPED THAT FIGURE BY 700 THOUSAND DOLLARS IN THE NEW STUDY. TAIMERICA PRESIDENT DR. ED BEE TELLS KPLC TV THAT THE ECONOMIC IMPACT TO THE STATE IS LIKE ADDING ANOTHER ALEXANDRIA OR MONROE ECONOMY.
THE FORMER ACADIA PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER MAXINE TRAHAN HAD A STATUS HEARING IN LAFAYETTE YESTERDAY. JEFF HORCHAK HAS MORE.
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Gov. John Bel Edwards says tax assessors in most Louisiana parishes will start posting the property tax breaks given to manufacturers on searchable online rolls next year, just like they list homeowners’ property tax exemptions. On Thursday, Edwards told Together Louisiana, a group of faith-based and community leaders, that he’s talked to Louisiana’s Tax Commission chairman about enacting the posting requirement for information about the Industrial Tax Exemption Program.
Edwards says some smaller parishes may take longer because they’ll need help updating computer software. Together Louisiana has pushed for tighter rules on the industrial exemption program and praised Edwards for toughening eligibility standards.
