12-1-15
A ONE CENT SALES TAX FOR LAFAYETTE CAME TO AN END YESTERDAY. VOTERS IN 2014 APPROVED THE TEMPORARY TAX, WHICH LASTED FROM APRIL FIRST TO NOVEMBER THIRTIETH. IT RAISED APPROXIMATELY THIRTY MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW PASSENGER TERMINAL AT THE LAFAYETTE REGIONAL AIRPORT. THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE AIRPORT, STEVEN PICOU, SAYS A NEW BIGGER TERMINAL, AN EXPANDED PARKING LOT AND OTHER UPGRADES ARE EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED BY 2021.
THE CITY OF SULPHUR HAS ENTERED INTO A CONTRACT WITH REVENUE DISCOVER SYSTEMS, WHICH WILL HANDLE THE CITY’S LIQUOR LICENSE RENEWALS AND APPLICATIONS FOR NEW BUSINESSES. MAYOR CHRIS DUNCAN SAYS COMPUTER SOFTWARE IS VERY EXPENSIVE. HE SAYS OUTSOURCING TO REVENUE DISCOVERY SYSTEMS WILL SAVE TIME AND MONEY WHILE IMPROVING EFFICIENCY. MANY BUSINESSES WILL BEGIN RECEIVING THEIR LIQUOR LICENSE RENEWAL NOTICES FOR 2016 VIA EMAIL.
THE BODY OF AN ARKANSAS MAN, WHO WAS REPORTED MISSING ON NOVEMBER 20TH, WAS FOUND IN THE INTRACOASTAL WATERWAY NEAR BERWICK. THE ST. MARY PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE SAYS BYSTANDERS FOUND THE BODY OF MICHAEL C. PROCTOR NEAR THE BERWICK BOAT LANDING. AN AUTOPSY IS PENDING. DETECTIVES WITH THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE DO NOT SUSPECT FOUL PLAY.
First-time claims for unemployment insurance in Louisiana for the week ending Nov. 21 decreased from the previous week’s total. The state labor department figures released Monday show the initial claims fell to 2,404 from the previous week’s total of 3,196. For the comparable week a year earlier, there were 2,547.
The four-week moving average, which is a less volatile measure of claims, decreased to 2,462 from the previous week’s total of 2,486.
POLICE ARE LOOKING FOR A MURDER SUSPECT IN THE DEATH OF A LAFAYETTE PARISH WOMAN. JULIE DARCE HAS MORE.
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A CONCERNED CITIZEN IN LAKE CHARLES NOTICED A CAR IN THE PARKING LOT OF WALMART ON HIGHWAY 171 THAT HAD BEEN THERE FOR MONTHS. HE REPORTED IT TO THE CALCASIEU PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE OVER CONCERNS THAT THE CAR MIGHT HAVE BEEN STOLEN OR SOMETHING HAD HAPPENED TO THE OWNER. AN EMPLOYEE AT WALMART TOLD KPLC TV THAT THE CAR BELONGED TO ANOTHER EMPLOYEE AND HAD ACTUALLY BEEN SITTING THERE FOR SEVEN MONTHS, BECAUSE THEY COULDN’T AFFORD TO FIX IT. SHERIFF TONY MANCUSO SAYS THEY CAN’T REMOVE ABANDONED VEHICLES FROM PRIVATE PROPERTY UNLESS THEY FIND OUT IT HAS BEEN STOLEN.
A CHURCH POINT FAMILY HAD THE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS ON THEIR HOME STOLEN WHILE THEY SLEPT. A MEMBER OF THE KIDDER FAMILY SAYS THAT THEY WENT OUTSIDE TO CHECK IF THE TIMER WAS WORKING AND THAT’S WHEN THEY DISCOVERED THE LIGHTS WERE MISSING. FORTUNATELY, THEY HAVE SURVEILLANCE VIDEO OF THE BANDIT, WHO ALSO TOOK SOME THINGS FROM THEIR BACKYARD BEFORE CROSSING THE STREET TO A VACANT LOT WHERE HE WAS PICKED UP BY SOMEONE ELSE. THE VIDEO OF THE THIEF CAN BE SEEN AT KLFY-DOT-COM. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION ON THE THIEF OR THE VEHICLE SHOULD CALL THE LAFAYETTE PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE.
Nearly $6 million in state-owned hospital equipment can’t be located, and millions more bought for the recently opened New Orleans public hospital hasn’t been tracked properly. That’s according to an audit released Monday from the Legislative Auditor’s Office that looked at the LSU Health Care Services Division for the fiscal year ended June 30. Most of LSU’s hospitals were privatized by Gov. Bobby Jindal, with the facilities and equipment leased by private hospital managers. LSU responded that it is working to find and properly tag the items.
