12-11-14
LAFAYETTE REGIONAL AIRPORT COMMISSION MEMBERS LEARNED YESTERDAY ABOUT THREE PROCESSES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO DESIGN AND BUILD A NEW TERMINAL. LAFAYETTE PARISH VOTERS ON SATURDAY APPROVED A NEW ONE CENT SALES TAX THAT WILL GO INTO EFFECT APRIL FIRST AND END ON NOVEMBER 30TH. THE TAX IS EXPECTED TO GENERATE THIRTY MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE NEW TERMINAL AND PARKING AREA, WHICH IS ESTIMATED TO COST A TOTAL OF 90 MILLION. CONSTRUCTION ON THE NEW TERMINAL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN IN 2016 AND TAKE AT LEAST THREE YEARS TO COMPLETE, ACCORDING TO COMMISSION CHAIRMAN MATT CRUSE.
EARLIER THIS WEEK, THE SUPREME COURT REJECTED A BID BY B-P TO GET OUT OF A 2012 SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT TO PAY UNCAPPED DAMAGES TO BUSINESSES AFFECTED BY THE APRIL 2010 OIL SPILL IN THE GULF. MATTHEW LUNDY OF THE LAKE CHARLES LAW FIRM LUNDY, LUNDY, SOILEAU AND SOUTH TOLD THE AMERICAN PRESS THAT B-P WANTED TO RENEGE ON THE AGREEMENT BECAUSE THEY REALIZED THEY WERE GOING TO PAY MUCH MORE THAN THEY ORIGINALLY ESTIMATED. LUNDY ESTIMATES THAT THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF BUSINESSES IN THE LAKE AREA THAT ARE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE COMPENSATION. LUNDY, LUNDY, SOILEAU AND SOUTH IS ONE OF THE LAW FIRMS THAT HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN THE CASE’S LITIGATION.
THE ST. LANDRY PARISH COUNCIL AGREED TO CREATE A NEW TAXING DISTRICT ALONG THE HARRY GUILBEAU HIGHWAY, SOUTH OF OPELOUSAS. MONEY RAISED FROM THE TWO CENT SALES TAX ALONG THE CORRIDOR WILL BE USED TO FUND A PROPOSED THREE THOUSAND SEAT EVENTS CENTER THAT WOULD BE LOCATED THERE. THE TWO CENT SALES TAX WILL GO INTO EFFECT ON JANUARY FIRST AND WILL ONLY APPLY TO NEW BUSINESSES AND HOTELS THAT LOCATE INSIDE THE 700 ACRE HARRY GUILBEAU ECONOMIC DISTRICT. THAT MEANS THE SALES TAX FOR THOSE BUSINESSES WILL BE ELEVEN-POINT-7-5 PERCENT.
U.S. Sen. David Vitter says he’ll oppose President Barack Obama’s pick for attorney general because of his disapproval of the president’s executive actions on immigration. The Republican senator announced Wednesday that he won’t support the nomination of Loretta Lynch during the Senate confirmation vote, which is expected to come early next year. Obama extended legal protection to keep millions of people living in the U.S. illegally from being deported. Vitter wants Lynch to assert her opposition to the president’s executive action.
A FIRE AT A BOUTIQUE ON KALISTE SALOOM ROAD WEDNESDAY DESTROYED THE STORE’S INVENTORY AND KEPT TRAFFIC BACKED UP FOR QUITE A WHILE. JULIE DARCY HAS MORE.
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A CANDIDATE FOR CITY COURT JUDGE IN LAKE CHARLES, WHO LOST LAST SATURDAY, IS REQUESTING A RECOUNT. RON RICHARD LOST BY 125 VOTES TO INCUMBENT JOHN HOOD IN THE LAKE CHARLES CITY COURT JUDGE DIVISION B RACE. RICHARD MADE A WRITTEN REQUEST OF THE CALCASIEU PARISH CLERK OF COURT’S OFFICE TO RECOUNT THE MAIL-IN BALLOTS. HE SAID IN A STATEMENT THAT THE PEOPLE OF LAKE CHARLES DESERVE A THOROUGH AND FAIR COUNT OF ALL VOTES CAST.
SEVERAL SHOTS WERE FIRED AT A HOUSE IN RAYNE TUESDAY MORNING. IT HAPPENED AT AROUND 5:55 A-M IN THE 300 BLOCK OF MALVERN STREET. THE RAYNE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS ASKING ANYONE WITH INFORMATION TO CALL CRIME STOPPERS OF ACADIA PARISH AT 789-TIPS. ALL CALLERS REMAIN ANONYMOUS AND CAN RECEIVE A CASH REWARD OF UP TO A THOUSAND DOLLARS.
Baton Rouge Mayor Kip Holden says he is running to be Louisiana’s next lieutenant governor, joining three other contenders vying for the open seat in 2015.
The Advocate reports that Holden, a Democrat, announced his campaign Wednesday. He described an economic turnaround in Baton Rouge during his tenure and said he would repeat that success on a state level. Three Republicans have said they will seek the position: Opelousas state Sen. Elbert Guillory, Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser and Jefferson Parish President John Young.
