11-20-15
THE GRAND 16 THEATRE ON JOHNSTON STREET IS REOPENED FOR BUSINESS. JULIE DARCE HAS MORE.
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LAST NIGHT THE CALCASIEU PARISH POLICE JURY UPHELD THE ZONING COMMITTEE’S RECOMMENDATION TO CLOSE SOUTH BOUDOIN ROAD IN CARLYSS BECAUSE OF WESTLAKE CHEMICAL’S EXPANSION. THE COMPANY WANTS THE ROAD CLOSED OUT OF SAFETY CONCERNS FOR PASSING MOTORISTS. FIVE RESIDENTS SPOKE OUT AGAINST THE CLOSURE BECAUSE IT WOULD INCREASE TRAFFIC ON L-A 27 AND 11-33. THE ROAD CLOSURE WILL NOT TAKE PLACE FOR ANOTHER YEAR, AND SOME JURORS SUGGESTED FINDING AN ALTERNATE ROUTE FOR THE PUBLIC OVER THE NEXT YEAR.
A JEANERETTE MAN, WHO SUFFERED A GUNSHOT WOUND SUNDAY NEAR FOUR CORNERS IN ST. MARY PARISH, WAS ARRESTED IN ABBEVILLE WEDNESDAY. THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE SAYS DETECTIVES DETERMINED THAT 34-YEAR-OLD KENDALL HINES GOT INTO AN ARGUMENT WITH SEVERAL PEOPLE AND OPENED FIRE, WOUNDING ANOTHER 30-YEAR-OLD MAN. SOMEONE, WHO HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED, RETURNED FIRE, STRIKING HINES. HINES WENT TO A HOSPITAL IN FRANKLIN SUNDAY FOR TREATMENT OF THE GUNSHOT WOUND AND WAS RELEASED.
Both men vying to follow Gov. Bobby Jindal into office are lambasting the governor’s plan for closing the state’s $487 million budget deficit. Democrat John Bel Edwards and Republican David Vitter said Thursday that the proposal papers over the gap in a way that punts the problem to the next governor. They called on state lawmakers to reject the plan when they consider it today. Jindal noted the candidates’ lack of specifics, saying: “It’s easy to be a critic, but critics are not leaders.”
THE LAFAYETTE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM RANKS 27 OUT OF 68 PARISHES WHEN IT COMES TO TEACHER SALARIES. THE STARTING SALARY FOR A LAFAYETTE PARISH TEACHER WITH A BACHELOR’S DEGREE IS 41,427 DOLLARS. ONLY TWO OTHER SOUTH LOUISIANA PARISHES HAVE HIGHER STARTING SALARIES…CALCASIEU AND IBERIA PARISHES. THE STARTING SALARIES IN ACADIA AND VERMILLION PARISHES IS BELOW 40 THOUSAND DOLLARS.
A CEREMONY WAS HELD AT AMERICAN LEGION POST ONE IN LAKE CHARLES TO REUNITE A LOST MILITARY HONOR TO THE FAMILY OF A WORLD WAR TWO HERO. TECHNICAL SERGEANT CLAYTON HAMILTON WAS AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART AFTER HE LOST HIS LIFE IN 1945 WHEN THE B-17 HE WAS IN WAS SHOT DOWN OVER GERMANY. THE HONORWAS IN A HOPE CHEST THAT WAS PLACED IN STORAGE AND SOLD IN AN AUCTION IN THE 1980’S TO A MARINE WHO, FOR YEARS, HAD NEVER OPENED IT. THE MEDAL WAS RETURNED BY THE GROUP PURPLE HEARTS REUNITED, WHOSE MISSION IS TO RESTORE MILITARY HONORS TO THE RIGHTFUL OWNERS.
THERE’S A DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN FIRE FIGHTERS AND POLICE OVER THE REDEDICATION OF A SALES TAX THAT WILL BE VOTED ON IN CROWLEY TOMORROW. THE TAX IS CURRENTLY USED TO GIVE RAISES TO POLICE OFFICERS, FIRE FIGHTERS, AND CITY EMPLOYEES, BUT IF VOTERS APPROVE THE REDEDICATION, IT CAN ALSO BE USED TO BOOST STARTING PAY AND FOR FRINGES AND BENEFITS. CROWLEY POLICE CHIEF K-P GIBSON IS FOR THE REDEDICATION SO HE CAN OFFER HIGHER STARTING SALARIES AND RETAIN MORE OFFICERS. BUT THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE CROWLEY PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS LOCAL 14-42 SAYS ALLOWING FRINGES AND BENEFITS TO COME FROM THE SALES TAX WILL EVENTUALLY DRAIN THE FUND AND CAUSE THE CITY TO USE MONEY FROM THE GENERAL FUND TO PAY THE SALARIES.
A lawsuit challenging Gov. Bobby Jindal’s executive order offering protections to people who oppose same-sex marriage is headed to trial. The Advocate reports state District Judge Todd Hernandez refused Wednesday to dismiss the suit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Louisiana, the Forum for Equality Foundation and six New Orleans residents. The executive order prohibits state agencies under Jindal’s control from denying licenses, benefits, contracts or tax deductions in response to actions taken because of someone’s religious belief against same-sex marriage. Hernandez’s ruling said the dispute presented is ripe for his consideration.
