11-3-16
AFTER TWO YEARS OF DISCUSSION, THE LAFAYETTE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD APPROVED A NEW PLAN TO REZONE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. JULIE DARCE HAS MORE.
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INDORAMA VENTURES IS HOSTING A JOB FAIR IN SULPHUR TODAY. THE ETHANE CRACKER FACILITY IS HOPING TO FILL 125 JOBS. THE EVENT WILL TAKE PLACE FROM THREE TO EIGHT AT THE WEST-CAL ARENA AND EVENTS CENTER. CANDIDATES MUST BE AT LEAST 18 YEARS OLD AND HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA OR A G-E-D.
MORE FORMER DEPUTIES TESTIFIED YESTERDAY AGAINST IBERIA PARISH SHERIFF LOUIS ACKAL IN HIS FEDERAL TRIAL ON CIVIL RIGHTS ABUSES. FORMER NARCOTICS AGENT WADE BERGERON SAYS AND HE TWO OTHER DEPUTIES, AFTER A NIGHT OF DRINKING, WENT OUT AND BEAT UP TWO YOUNG BLACK MEN FOR NO REASON. HE SAYS WHEN THEY TOLD ACKAL ABOUT IT, ACKAL USED A RACIST TERM TO DESCRIBE THE BEATINGS, AND TOLD THE DEPUTIES TO STICK TO AN EARLIER COVER STORY ABOUT HAVING NO INVOLVEMENT IN THE ASSAULT. ACKAL’S ATTORNEY HAS ARGUED THAT THE FORMER DEPUTIES HAVE ALL PLEADED GUILTY AND ARE NOW TRYING TO GET LIGHTER SENTENCES BY TESTIFYING AGAINST THEIR FORMER BOSS.
After the U.S. Senate debate on the campus of historically black Dillard University, about two dozen protesters linked arms at a traffic gate hoping to block white supremacist David Duke’s exit. One police SUV got through after officers physically shoved protesters out of the way but it was unclear if Duke was in that vehicle. More protesters joined and locked arms again at the gate and several police units that were heading to that exit, backed up and turned away.
ARREST WARRANTS HAVE BEEN ISSUED FOR TWO MEN SUSPECTED OF BEING INVOLVED IN A SHOOTING IN LAFAYETTE. THE SHOOTING HAPPENED IN THE 600 BLOCK OF BELLOT STREET IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF OCTOBER 27TH. WITNESSES IDENTIFIED 28-YEAR-OLD CHRISTOPHER BARTIE AND 19-YEAR-OLD PATRICK HENRY AS THE SHOOTERS. THEY ARE WANTED ON CHARGES OF ILLEGAL DISCHARGE OF A WEAPON AND POSSESSION OF A FIREARM BY A CONVICTED FELON.
A MEETING WAS HELD BEHIND CLOSED DOORS YESTERDAY BETWEEN CAMERON PARISH OFFICIALS AND REPRESENTATIVES FROM CAMERON L-N-G TO WORK OUT A PAYMENT IN LIEU OF TAX PLAN. THE PLAN, AS PROPOSED, WOULD PAY THE SCHOOL BOARD AND POLICE JURY 500 MILLION DOLLARS OVER TWENTY YEARS. BUT PARISH DISTRICT ATTORNEY JENNIFER JONES TOLD KPLC TV THAT IT’S A TERRIBLE DEAL FOR THE PARISH BECAUSE THEY STAND TO MISS OUT ON ONE-POINT-5 BILLION DOLLARS. THE CAMERON PARISH SCHOOL BOARD WILL MEET MONDAY NIGHT TO DECIDE WHETHER TO AGREE TO THE PLAN.
THE GRAND COTEAU BISTRO, WHICH OPENED TO RAVE REVIEWS IN SEPTEMBER OF LAST YEAR, CLOSED ITS DOORS FOR GOOD YESTERDAY. THE OWNERS, CHRISTOPHER THAMES AND LEON STEELE, HAD EARLIER CUT STAFF FROM THIRTY TO 14 BECAUSE OF THE ECONOMY AND THE AUGUST FLOODS. THEY ALSO CITED THE FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT, WHICH GOES INTO EFFECT NEXT MONTH, WHICH WOULD HAVE REQUIRED THEM TO PAY SALARIED EMPLOYEES OVERTIME, IF THEY MAKE LESS THAN 47,476 DOLLARS ANNUALLY. THAMES SAYS THE COMMUNITY WAS AMAZING TO THEM, AND THEY PLAN TO CONTINUE LIVING IN GRAND COTEAU.
Louisiana’s lawmakers are being urged to make sweeping changes to the state’s sales tax, personal income tax and property tax policies. A study group, created by lawmakers to recommend a tax revamp for consideration in the 2017 legislative session, released its proposals Wednesday, after months of work. Among the proposals, the task force suggests ending the 1 percent state sales tax hike temporarily enacted by lawmakers this year. To make up for lost revenue, the group recommends charging sales tax on more items and services, like cable television, business utilities and security services.
