11-30-16
LAFAYETTE HAS LOST ALMOST SEVEN THOUSAND JOBS OVER THE PAST YEAR. THE LOUISIANA WORKFORCE COMMISSION RELEASED DATA YESTERDAY THAT SHOWED THE LAFAYETTE METRO AREA LOST 69-HUNDRED NONFARM JOBS SINCE OCTOBER OF 2015. MOST OF THOSE WERE IN THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR AND IN LOGGING AND MINING, WHICH INCLUDES THE OIL INDUSTRY. ALSO LAFAYETTE HAS LOST JOBS FOR 21 CONSECUTIVE MONTHS, WHEN COMPARED TO THE SAME MONTH IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
LAKE CHARLES POLICE ARE RESPONDING TO AN OVERNIGHT SHOOTING ON OPELOUSAS STREET. THE DEPARTMENT SAYS IT IS A HOMOCIDE INVESTIGATION, BUT ARE NOT REVEALING ANY DETAILS. THEY ARE IN THE PROCESS OF GATHERING INFORMATION ON A SUSPECT, ACCORDING TO KPLC TV NEWS.
Effective Thursday, all Vermilion Parish elementary schools will be serving free breakfast and lunch to every student for the remainder of the year, regardless of their financial situation. Superintendent Jerome Puyau says the School Board on Monday approved a recommendation from staff to add Meaux, Dozier, Indian Bayou and Cecil Picard elementary schools to the Community Eligibility Provision program. KATC-TV reports parents who currently owe for meals still must pay those debts. The change applies to meals going forward. This fall, several parishes in Acadiana, including St. Landry, Iberia, Lafayette, Acadia and St. Martin, have expanded their participation in the program.
Lawyers for Louisiana’s governor and attorney general clashed in court in a struggle about the limits of the statewide elected officials’ authority and Gov. John Bel Edwards’ executive order aimed at protecting LGBT rights. Judge Todd Hernandez heard a full day of witness testimony and legal arguments Tuesday in the latest in a series of disputes between the Democratic governor Edwards and Republican Attorney General Jeff Landry. But Hernandez didn’t rule on Landry’s request to block Edwards from enforcing his executive order prohibiting discrimination in government and state contracts based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Instead, the judge asked for follow-up written arguments by Friday and said he’d make a decision quickly thereafter.
HERE’S JULIE DARCE WITH A TRAFFIC ADVISORY FOR MOTORISTS IN LAFAYETTE.
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THOUSANDS OF TOURISTS HAVE BEEN FLEEING FROM GATLINBURG, TENNESSEE BECAUSE OF WILDFIRES THERE AND, AMONG THEM, WAS A LAKE CHARLES COUPLE THAT WERE THERE TO CELEBRATE THEIR SECOND WEDDING ANNIVERSARY. DEVIN AND KIAH DUBARD TOLD KPLC TV THAT THE EXPERIENCE WAS FRIGHTENING, WITH SMOKE CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY. THEY SAID AT ONE POINT FLAMES WERE COMING OVER THE GUARDRAIL AND A BRUSH FIRE WAS SWEEPING UNDER THEIR TRUCK. THEY MANAGED TO ESCAPE WITH FIREFIGHTERS HELP, JOINING A CARAVAN TO SAFETY.
A 13-YEAR-OLD MALE STUDENT AT PORT BARRE HIGH SCHOOL IS FACING CHARGES FOR BRINGING A GUN TO SCHOOL MONDAY. ACCORDING TO PORT BARRE POLICE CHIEF DEON BOUDREAUX, THE STUDENT SHOWED THE GUN TO OTHER STUDENTS WHO TOLD TEACHERS, WHO THEN NOTIFIED THE PRINCIPAL. HE SAYS POLICE SEARCHED THE STUDENT’S BACKPACK AND FOUND A 25 CALIBER, SEMI-AUTOMATIC PISTOL. HE SAYS IT DOESN’T APPEAR THE STUDENT PLANNED TO HARM ANYONE, BUT HE WILL FACE CHARGES FOR POSSESSING THE GUN, INCLUDING POSSESSING A GUN WITH OBLITERATED SERIAL NUMBERS.
GOVERNOR JOHN BEL EDWARDS IS TRAVELING TO WASHINGTON TODAY TO HELP LOUISIANA’S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION GET MORE FEDERAL FUNDING TO HELP THE STATE RECOVER FROM THE AUGUST FLOODS. PRESIDENT OBAMA HAS PROPOSED CONGRESS APPROPRIATE 2-POINT-1 BILLION DOLLARS FOR LOUISIANA. U-S SENATOR BILL CASSIDY SAYS HE THINKS THEY’LL GET SOME OF IT, BUT THE CHALLENGE WILL BE WHETHER THEY GET IT ALL. THE DECISION WILL LIKELY BE MADE IN THE NEXT TEN DAYS.
