12-29-17
LAFAYETTE POLICE CHIEF TOBY AGUILLARD YESTERDAY ANNOUNCED A NEW ENTERTAINMENT PRECINCT WILL BE OPENED IN THE NEW YEAR. IT WILL BE STAFFED WITH TEN NEW OFFICERS WHO WILL PATROL DOWNTOWN, THE SIMCOE AREAS AND MCKINLEY STREET. HE SAYS THE TEN OFFICERS WILL ATTEND THE POLICE ACADEMY BEGINNING TUESDAY AND THE NEW PRECINCT SHOULD BE READY TO GO BY THE END OF THE SUMMER. AGUILLARD SAYS A ONE-POINT-2 MILLION DOLLAR FEDERAL GRANT WILL COVER THE COSTS OF THE ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL FOR THE FIRST THREE YEARS.
THE MCNEESE MARCHING BAND AND THE COWGIRL KICKERS HEADED TO LONDON YESTERDAY TO PERFORM IN THE NEW YEAR’S DAY PARADE THERE. OVER 600 THOUSAND PEOPLE WILL LINE THE PARADE ROUTE AND MCNEESE WILL BE THE FIRST BAND TO PERFORM. BAND DIRECTOR DR. JAY JACOBS CALLS IT A ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY TO PERFORM BEFORE THE QUEEN. JACOBS EXPRESSED THANKS TO ALL THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE SUPPORTED THE BAND WITH DONATIONS SO THEY COULD PARTICIPATE.
THE EVANGELINE PARISH SHERIFF HAS FILED A LAWSUIT AGAINST DRUG COMPANIES THAT HE BELIEVES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE OPIOID CRISIS. THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL SAYS EVANGELINE PARISH HAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST CONCENTRATIONS OF OPIOID PRESCRIPTIONS PER PERSON IN THE STATE. SHERIFF EDDIE SOILEAU’S LAWSUIT SAYS THE DRUG COMPANY’S “SOPHISTICATED AND HIGHLY DECEPTIVE MARKETING CAMPAIGNS” HAVE HELPED THEM EXPAND THE MARKET FOR OPIOIDS AND THE DRUG COMPANIES HAVE REALIZED BLOCKBUSTER PROFITS AS A RESULT. THE LAWSUIT POINTS OUT THAT OPIOID RELATED DEATHS IN LOUISIANA HAVE ALMOST DOUBLED FROM 155 IN 2012 TO 305 IN 2016.
A LAWSUIT AGAINST CLECO HAS BEEN GIVEN NEW LIFE AFTER AN APPELLATE COURT REVERSED A LOWER COURT JUDGE’S DECISION TO TOSS THE LAWSUIT. A THREE JUDGE PANEL OF THE THIRD CIRCUIRT, BASED IN LAKE CHARLES, RULED THAT DISTRICT COURT JUDGE PATRICIA KOCH OF ALEXANDRIA ERRED WHEN SHE RULED THE CLECO SHAREHOLDERS HAD NO LEGAL RIGHT TO SUE. THE SHAREHOLDERS FILED THE LAWSUIT CLAIMING THE SALE OF THE COMPANY RESULTED IN A WINDFALL REWARD FOR EXECUTIVES WHILE CAUSING THE VALUE OF THEIR SHARES TO UNDERPERFORM. CLECO MANAGEMENT IS DECIDING WHETHER THEY WILL APPEAL THE APPELLATE COURT DECISION.
INVESTIGATORS WITH THE LAFAYETTE PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE ARE WORKING A HOMOCIDE THAT HAPPENED IN THE 800 BLOCK OF HIGHWAY 12-52 JUST OUTSIDE OF CARENCRO WEDNESDAY NIGHT. MEGAN KELLY REPORTS.
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A JOB FAIR IS PLANNED FOR WEDNESDAY, JANUARY TENTH, AT THE LAKE CHARLES CIVIC CENTER’S EXHIBITION HALL, HOSTED BY THE CALCASIEU BUSINESS AND CAREER CENTER. THE FAIR WILL TAKE PLACE FROM NINE TO NOON AND, WHILE ATTENDEES ARE ENCOURAGED TO ARRIVE EARLY, PRE-REGISTRATION IS NOT A REQUIREMENT. EMPLOYERS ARE FREE TO PARTICIPATE BUT THEY MUST REGISTER BY JANUARY FIFTH BY CONTACTING THE BUSINESS AND CAREER CENTER. A JOB READINESS WORKSHOP IS PLANNED FOR JANUARY FIFTH AT THE BUSINESS AND CAREER CENTER AND PREREGISTRATION IS REQUESTED FOR THAT EVENT.
A DEADLY CRASH ON HIGHWAY 90 NEAR THE ST. MARTIN AND LAFAYETTE PARISH LINE LED POLICE TO CLOSE HIGHWAY 90 FOR ABOUT FOUR HOURS. JUST AFTER MIDNIGHT, AN 18 WHEELER HIT A CAR THAT WAS TURNING FROM A CASINO PARKING LOT ONTO THE HIGHWAY. THE DRIVER OF THE CAR WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE WHILE THE CONDITION OF THE TRUCK DRIVER IS UNKNOWN. THE IDENTITY OF THE DRIVER KILLED HAS NOT BEEN RELEASED BECAUSE THE FAMILY HAS NOT YET BEEN NOTIFIED.
ABOUT ONE IN FIVE LOUISIANA HOUSEHOLDS THAT RECEIVE FOOD STAMPS WILL SEE THEIR BENEFITS DECREASE SLIGHTLY. BUT SAMMY GUILLORY OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES SAYS THE REDUCTION WILL BE MORE THAN OFFSET BY A COST OF LIVING INCREASE IN OTHER BENEFITS. ABOUT A QUARTER OF THE HOUSEHOLDS IN LOUISIANA RECEIVE FOOD STAMPS. FOR MOST RECIPIENTS, FOOD STAMPS ARE AVAILABLE FOR A YEAR, BUT THE CLIENTS MUST GIVE UPDATES EVERY SIX MONTHS ON THE HOUSEHOLD’S FINANCIAL CONDITION.
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