12-21-15
THE STATE BOND COMMISSION HAS APPROVED 135 MILLION DOLLARS IN BONDS TO FUND PROJECTS FOR THE LAFAYETTE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM. AMONG THE PROJECTS IS A NEW HIGH SCHOOL IN LAFAYETTE, A REPLACEMENT FOR KATHERINE DREXEL ELEMENTARY IN BROUSSARD, AND NEW CLASSROOM WINGS AT THE ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL IN MILTON AND AT PLANTATION ELEMENTARY. THE SCHOOL BOARD HAD APPROVED THE BONDS EARLIER THIS FALL. THE BOND APPROVALS ARE SEPARATE FROM A TAX PROPOSAL THAT GOES BEFORE LAFAYETTE PARISH VOTERS IN THE SPRING THAT WOULD RAISE 389 MILLION DOLLARS FOR MAJOR SCHOOL REPLACEMENTS AND RENOVATIONS.
AUTISM SERVICES OF SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA IS IN THE MIDST OF A FUNDRAISING DRIVE. THE LAKE CHARLES ORGANIZATION OPERATES FOUR HOMES FOR ADULTS WHO HAVE AUTISM. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TONY OSBURN TELLS KPLC TV THAT THE HOMES ARE AT 85 PERCENT CAPACITY AND THEY WILL EVENTUALLY LOOK AT EXPANDING TO A FIFTH HOME. AUTISM SERVICES HAS RAISED OVER 150 THOUSAND DOLLARS SO FAR, WHICH WILL GO TOWARD THE HOMES AS WELL AS FOR THE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT OF EACH CLIENT’S PERSONAL CARE ATTENDANT.
A MAN FROM RAYNE IS ACCUSED OF WIELDING A CROW BAR BEFORE STEALING A CASH REGISTER FROM AN ADULT BUSINESS IN NEW IBERIA. AT AROUND 12:30 SUNDAY MORNING 45-YEAR-OLD GEORGE TYLER MORGAN WENT INTO LEISURE TIME ENTERTAINMENT WITH A SHIRT COVERING HIS FACE AND CARRYING THE CROW BAR, AND THEN TOOK THE CASH REGISTER, WHICH HAD AN UNDISCLOSED AMOUNT OF CASH IN IT. HE WAS ARRESTED AND BOOKED INTO THE ACADIA PARISH JAIL YESTERDAY ON A CHARGE OF ARMED ROBBERY. AS OF LAST NIGHT HE WAS AWAITING TRANSPORTATION TO IBERIA PARISH.
Louisiana’s unemployment rate ticked up in November, with the number of jobless rising even as people exited the labor force. The jobless rate rose to 6.3 percent from 6.2 percent in October, although it remained below the 7.2 percent rate of November 2014. The number of people reporting having a job fell for the sixth straight month. A separate survey showed payrolls flat in November, but more than 11,000 lower than in November 2014, a warning that Louisiana’s economy may be shrinking.
A TEAM OF TWENTY MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AT THE THIBODEAUX STEM MAGNET SCHOOL IN LAFAYETTE HAVE PUT TOGETHER AN EXPERIMENT THAT WILL BE SENT ON A ROCKET TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. THE EXPERIMENT WILL TEST THE EFFECTS OF ANTIBIOTICS ON BACTERIA IN SPACE. TWO STUDENTS ON THE TEAM, PAUL PRYOR AND NICHOLAS MEADOWS, TRAVELED TO A SCHOOL IN SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA THAT HAS SENT EXPERIMENTS TO THE SPACE STATION. MEADOWS TELLS THE ADVOCATE THAT THEY WERE TOLD THEIR EXPERIMENT IS WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE, PROGRAMMING WISE.
VOLUNTEERS WITH THE “I AM LOVED” MINISTRY IN LAKE CHARLES DELIVERED CHRISTMAS BASKETS, FILLED WITH FOOD AND TOILETRIES, AND PRAYER TO 45 HOUSES IN THE AREA SATURDAY MORNING. THE FOUNDER OF “I AM LOVED” SHAWN CARDIN SAYS THEIR FOCUS WAS AREAS WHERE THERE IS A LOT OF SEX TRAFFICKING. CARDIN, A FORMER PROSTITUTE, STARTED THE MINISTRY TO REACH OUT TO WOMEN IN THAT INDUSTRY. VOLUNTEERS DO FEEDINGS AND MINISTER TO THE WOMEN ON A WEEKLY BASIS.
A 13-YEAR-OLD BOY IS DEAD AFER WHAT APPEARS TO BE AN ACCIDENTAL SHOOTING THAT HAPPENED FRIDAYNIGHT IN ST. MARTIN PARISH. JEFF HORCHEK HAS MORE.
VOICER B :20
Gov. Bobby Jindal’s administration is being sued over work requirements enacted for more than 60,000 food stamp recipients that take effect with the new year.
The federal lawsuit was filed Friday in New Orleans by advocacy groups on behalf of seven food stamp recipients who are threatened with losing the aid. They are seeking to stop the new requirements and are asking to get the case certified as a class-action lawsuit. Adults aged 18 to 49 without children will soon have to work at least 20 hours per week or be enrolled in a federally-approved job training program to receive food stamps.
