11-19-15
THE DEVELOPERS OF A NEW COSTCO SHOPPING CENTER IN LAFAYETTE HAVE SET A TENTATIVE GRAND OPENING DATE OF MARCH 23RD. THE 58 ACRE SITE WILL ALSO HAVE A DICK’S SPORTING GOODS STORE, AS WELL AS FIELD AND STREAM, HOMEGOODS, AND MARSHALLS AS ANCHOR STORES. RYAN PECOT, AN EXECUTIVE WITH STERLING PROPERTIES, SAYS ABOUT 96 PERCENT OF THE SHOPPING CENTER IS ALREADY LEASED, WHICH IS VERY GOOD. THE SITE IS EXPECTED TO CREATE AROUND ONE THOUSAND PERMANENT JOBS AND PRODUCE CLOSE TO NINE MILLION DOLLARS IN TAX REVENUE FOR THE CITY.
THE LAKE CHARLES CITY COUNCIL HAS APPROVED BODY CAMERAS FOR POLICE OFFICERS. THE COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED THE ORDINANCE FOR 110 BODY CAMERAS AND 18 DASH CAMS. POLICE CHIEF DON DIXON SAYS THE CAMERAS ARE IMPORTANT AS A WAY OF PROVIDING TRANSPARENCY. HE SAYS THEY SHOULD HAVE THE CAMERAS IN ABOUT A MONTH AND BEGIN TRAINING.
JUDGE JASON MECHE RULED YESTERDAY THAT THERE’S ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO CONTINUE HOLDING HARRISON RILEY JUNIOR OF SUNSET IN JAIL WITHOUT BAIL. RILEY WENT ON A DRUG FUELED RAMPAGE IN AUGUST, KILLING TWO COUSINS, ONE A SUNSET POLICE OFFICER, AND INJURING THREE OTHER PEOPLE, INCLUDING HIS WIFE, BEFORE CRASHING A CAR INTO THE SUNSET MINIMART, WHICH HE ALLEGEDLY TRIED TO SET ON FIRE. TESTIMONY FROM HIS WIFE PLAYED AT A COURT HEARING YESTERDAY INDICATED RILEY HAD BEEN SMOKING P-C-P AND EMBALMING FLUID BEFORE THE INCIDENT. A GRAND JURY WILL TAKE UP RILEY’S CASE SOMETIME BEFORE THE NEW YEAR AND DECIDE WHETHER TO INDICT HIM ON CHARGES THAT INCLUDE FIRST DEGREE MURDER.
Gov. Bobby Jindal proposes to cut $150 million across agencies, tap into the state “rainy day” fund and use piecemeal financing to close a $487 million budget deficit. Public colleges will be shielded from cuts. The state health department, however, will have to shrink its state spending by $130 million. Jindal’s top budget adviser Stafford Palmieri unveiled the broad overview Wednesday of the plan to rebalance the $25 billion budget.
THE LAFAYETTE CONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED PLANS FOR THIS EVENING’S REOPENING OF THE GRAND 16 THEATRE. JULIE DARCE HAS THE DETAILS.
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THE CALCASIEU PLANNING AND ZONING COMMITTEE VOTED 9-TO-1 TO CLOSE PORTIONS OF SOUTH BOUDOIN ROAD AND VINCENT DRIVE IN CARLYSS BECAUSE OF THE EXPANSION OF WESTLAKE CHEMICAL’S FACILITY. JOE ANDREPONT, THE SENIOR COMMUNITY AFFAIRS REPRESENTATIVE FOR WESTLAKE CHEMICAL, SAYS THEY WANTED THOSE ROADS SHUT DOWN BECAUSE OF SAFETY CONCERNS. HOWEVER, SEVERAL RESIDENTS SAID THEY USE THAT ROADWAY TO ACCESS SULPHUR, AND WORRIED THAT IT WILL CAUSE MORE TRAFFIC ON L-A 27 AND LA-11-33. THIRTY DAYS NOTICE WILL BE GIVEN BEFORE THOSE ROADS ARE CLOSED, WHICH WILL NOT HAPPEN UNTIL WESTLAKE CHEMICAL BEGINS WORK ON A RAIL STORAGE YARD.
TWO PETITIONS TO KEEP GUEYDAN HIGH SCHOOL OPEN HAVE GENERATED MORE THAN A THOUSAND SIGNATURES. THE PETITIONS WERE STARTED AFTER IT WAS LEARNED LAST MONTH SOME BOARD MEMBERS DISCUSSED CLOSING THE SCHOOL TO DEAL WITH RISING INSURANCE AND HEALTH COSTS. MADELEINE BROUSSARD-OCKWELL, AN ALUM OF GUEYDAN HIGH, SAYS THE PETITIONS WILL BE DELIVERED TO THE SCHOOL BOARD AT TONIGHT’S MEETING. GUEYDAN HIGH PRINCIPAL BRANDY BROUSSARD SAYS STUDENTS AND FACULTY WERE UPSET WHEN THEY HEARD ABOUT THE POSSIBLE CLOSURE, BUT THERE’S A MUCH MORE POSITIVE ATMOSPHERE NOW BECAUSE THEY KNOW THE COMMUNITY IS BACKING THEM.
The Louisiana governor’s race has taken a surprising turn into foreign policy ahead of Saturday’s election. TV political ads and campaign rhetoric in the race has shifted this week to the Paris terrorist attacks and the wisdom of allowing Syrian refugees into U.S. borders. Republican U.S. Sen. David Vitter sees the issue as an opportunity to gain ground in a runoff campaign where he’s fallen behind. Both Edwards and Vitter said they would act as governor to block Syrian refugees from settling in Louisiana, although immigration experts say they don’t have that authority under federal law.
