11-19-18
ON FRIDAY, LAFAYETTE PARISH SHERIFF MARK GARBER RECORDED A RESOLUTION WITH THE CLERK OF COURT REGARDING THE HALF CENT SALES TAX PROPOSITION ON THE DECEMBER EIGHTH BALLOT. JEFF HORCHAK HAS MORE.
VOICER F :29
THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT ON I-210 THIS MORNING IN LAKE CHARLES THAT’S CAUSING TRAFFIC CONGESTION. A VEHICLE RAN OFF THE ROAD AND HIT A POLE. STATE POLICE SAY THERE WERE MINOR INJURIES. THE ACCIDENT IS CAUSING TRAFFIC TO BACK UP ON THE WESTBOUND SIDE NEAR EXIT ONE-A, THE EAST SULPHUR EXIT.
A JUDGE HAS RULED THAT THE VERMILLION PARISH SCHOOL BOARD VIOLATED OPEN MEETING LAWS WHEN IT REMOVED A TEACHER IN HANDCUFFS FROM A SCHOOL BOARD MEETING LAST JANUARY. THE TEACHER, MIDDLE SCHOOL ENGLISH TEACHER DEYSHIA HARGRAVE, WAS CRITICIZING A PAY RAISE BEING GRANTED TO THE SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT, JEROME PUYAU. 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT JUDGE DAVID M. SMITH ORDERED THAT ALL ACTION TAKEN DURING THAT MEETING BE NULLIFIED, INCLUDING THE GRANTING OF THE THIRTY THOUSAND DOLLAR PER YEAR PAY RAISE. SMITH ALSO ORDERED THE BOARD TO STRICTLY ADHERE TO THE STATE OPEN MEETINGS LAWS AND THEIR OWN POLICY CONCERNING PUBLIC COMMENTS.
Gov. John Bel Edwards rallied his core base of education union support with a preview of his 2019 re-election stump speech. He urged teachers and school workers to maintain a “sense of purpose” about the governor’s race. The Democratic leader spoke Saturday to the Louisiana Federation of Teachers. He offered a defense of his record since taking office in 2016 and a pledge of educator pay raises. The governor repeated his plan to seek a $1,000 teacher pay raise and $500 school support worker raise in next year’s legislative session.
THE LAFAYETTE HIGH SCHOOL MARCHING BAND WILL BE PERFORMING IN THIS YEAR’S MACY’S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE IN NEW YORK CITY. HEAD DRUM MAJOR KATE MANUEL SAYS THEY WILL PERFORM SOME JAZZY CHRISTMAS SONGS. SHE TELLS THE DAILY ADVERTISER THAT HAVING THEIR HARD WORK ACKNOWLEDGED NATIONALLY AND GO TO NEW YORK TO PERFORM IS AN HONOR. THE PARADE WILL BE TELEVISED ON BOTH NBC AND CBS.
SOME ELDERLY RESIDENTS IN CALCASIEU PARISH RECEIVED THANKSGIVING FOOD ITEMS. PHILLIPS 66 ALONG WITH THE CALCASIEU COUNCIL ON AGING PROVIDED THE FOOD AND VOLUNTEERS HANDED OUT 350 BAGS ACROSS THE PARISH. MEGAN HARTMAN, THE PUBLIC RELATIONS DIRECTOR FOR PHILLIPS 66 SAYS THEY CHOSE THOSE WHO ARE ON A WAITING LIST FOR THE MEALS ON WHEELS PROGRAM. SHE TELLS KPLC TV THAT THIS IS ONCE A YEAR OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT AND INTERACT WITH THEM AND BRING SOME JOY INTO THEIR HOLIDAY.
A TEXAS MAN TRYING TO FLEE FROM CROWLEY POLICE WAS ARRESTED AFTER HE CRASHED HIS VEHICLE AT THE I-TEN DUSON EXIT. 25-YEAR-OLD ROBERT LEE WILLIAMS OF GALVESTON HAD ALLEGEDLY STOLEN ABOUT ELEVEN THOUSAND DOLLARS WORTH OF ELECTRONICS. WALMART PERSONEL CALLED POLICE BEFORE FIVE A-M YESTERDAY AND THE POLICE WITNESSED WILLIAMS GET INTO HIS VEHICLE WITH THE MERCHANDISE. POLICE CHIEF JIMMY BROUSSARD SAYS THEY FOUND THE STOLEN ITEMS IN WILLIAMS VEHICLE AFTER THE CRASH AND HE’S BEEN BOOKED INTO THE ACADIA PARISH JAIL ON CHARGES OF FELONY THEFT AND AGGRAVATED FLIGHT FROM AN OFFICER, WITH OTHER CHARGES PENDING.
Gov. John Bel Edwards’ administration told lawmakers a computer upgrade will address concerns the state Medicaid program has paid millions on people not eligible for the coverage. The Legislature’s joint budget committee Friday approved the contract extension for the upgraded system. The legislative auditor’s office released an audit this week that said Louisiana’s Medicaid expansion program may have spent as much as $85M on ineligible enrollees. Discussion of the audit sparked the latest disagreements between Republicans and Democrats over management of a Medicaid program that costs nearly $13 billion a year.
