11-21-23
LAST NIGHT THE LAFAYETTE LIBRARY BOARD OF CONTROL DISCUSSED A RESOLUTION TO CUT TIES WITH THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION. BOARD MEMBER ROBERT JUDGE EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT THE IDEOLOGY OF THE A-L-A AND SAID THEY NEED TO CUT TIES WITH, WHAT HE CALLS, A MARXIST ORGANIZATION. INTERIM LIBRARY DIRECTOR SARAH MONROE SAYS IT WOULD CAUSE HIRING PROBLEMS BECAUSE THEY ONLY HIRE LIBRARIANS THAT HAVE AN A-L-A ACCREDITED DEGREE. THE BOARD DECIDED TO POSTPONE A VOTE ON THE RESOLUTION UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.
IN IBERIA PARISH, A MOTHER IS EXPRESSING FRUSTRATION AFTER A MANSLAUGHTER CASE WAS DISMISSED. TEN YEARS AGO, URIAH JOSEPH WAS SHOT AND KILLED AND THE MAN WHO SHOT HIM, MICHAEL AUGUSTINE, WAS INITIALLY CHARGED WITH MURDER BUT IT WAS EVENTUALLY DROPPED TO MANSLAUGHTER BEFORE BEING DISMISSED. JOSEPH’S MOTHER, FRANCES LEWIS, TELLS KLFY TV THAT IT’S NOT A WIN FOR AUGUSTINE’S LAWYERS BECAUSE THE DISMISSAL WAS GIVEN TO THEM AND THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE JUST LET IT GO BY. AUGUSTINE’S LAWYER, TODD CLEMONS, SAYS IT WAS A CASE OF SELF-DEFENSE, WHERE HIS CLIENT WAS PUT IN A POSITION WHERE HE HAD TO DEFEND HIMSELF.
LOUISIANA STATE POLICE HAVE BEGUN AN INVESTIGATION AFTER A MAN WAS KILLED BY A SULPHUR POLICE OFFICER OVER THE WEEKEND. SYLVIA MASTERS REPORTS.
VOICER D :27
GOVERNOR JOHN BEL EDWARDS AND GOVERNOR-ELECT JEFF LANDRY MET YESTERDAY TO DISCUSS THE TRANSITION AND LIFE IN THE GOVERNOR’S MANSION. SYLVIA MASTERS HAS MORE.
VOICER C :16
ON TUESDAY, THE LAFAYETTE CITY COUNCIL WILL VOTE ON AN ORDINANCE DECLARING UPGRADES TO MOORE PARK A PUBLIC NECESSITY. THAT WOULD ALLOW THEM TO SEIZE OR CLAIM PROPERTY. A FIFTEEN MILLION DOLLAR PROJECT IS PLANNED TO MAKE UPGRADES TO MOORE PARK THAT INCLUDES A THOUSAND SEAT STADIUM, NEW LIGHTING, NEW CONCESSION AND MORE. DIRECTOR OF PARKS HOLLIS CONWAY TELLS KLFY TV HE’S CONFIDENT THE UPGRADES WILL HELP ATTRACT REGIONAL AND NATIONAL SOCCER TOURNAMENTS.
SEVENTY PERCENT OF SAINT MARTINVILLE VOTERS APPROVED A NEW HALF-CENT SALES TAX THAT GOES INTO EFFECT IN APRIL. MAYOR JASON WILLIS SAYS IT WILL RAISE FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR. THEY PLAN TO BOND OUT A SIX MILLION DOLLAR LOAN THAT WILL GO TOWARD INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS. WILLIS TELLS KATC TV THAT THE OVERWHELMING SUPPORT FOR THE TAX SHOWS VOTERS BELIEVE HIS ADMINISTRATION WILL DO THE RIGHT THING.
THE JEFF DAVIS PARISH SCHOOL DISTRICT IS BRINGING IN NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND INSTITUTING NEW POLICIES BEGINNING NEXT SEMESTER TO INCREASE SAFETY FOR STUDENTS. THEY’VE APPLIED FOR THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION’S STRONGER CONNECTIONS PROGRAM, WHICH WILL ALLOW THEM TO BUILD FENCES AND PURCHASE WEAPON DETECTORS FOR SCHOOLS AND ATHLETIC EVENTS. SUPERINTENDENT JOHN HALL SAYS A BOND WILL GO UP FOR A VOTE IN THE SPRING THAT WOULD FUND SINGLE POINTS OF ENTRY AT SEVERAL PARISH SCHOOLS BEGINNING NEXT SUMMER, IF VOTERS APPROVE IT. THE SCHOOL BOARD RECENTLY GAVE THE GO-AHEAD TO A CLEAR BAG POLICY FOR SPORTING EVENTS THAT GOES INTO EFFECT JANUARY FIRST.
A VILLE PLATTE ALDERWOMAN HAS FILED A LAWSUIT AGAINST EVANGELINE PARISH DISTRICT ATTORNEY TRENT BRIGNAC FOR ALLEGEDLY VIOLATING HER CIVIL RIGHTS. BRIGNAC ACCUSED CHRISTINA SAM OF VOTER FRAUD A YEAR AGO BUT THE CHARGES WERE DROPPED IN SEPTEMBER. SAM’S LAWYER, ROSHELLE JONES, SAYS BRIGNAC INTERVIEWED SAM FOR FOUR HOURS WITHOUT A LAWYER PRESENT AND SHE WAS NOT ALLOWED TO LEAVE AND WAS TOLD TO PLEAD GUILTY. JONES SAYS SAM ALSO LOST HER JOB AFTER HER BOSS WAS INTERROGATED BY BRIGNAC.
