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THE LAFAYETTE CITY PARISH GOVERNMENT IS MOVING FORWARD WITH PLANS TO REDUCE CONGRESS STREET TO THREE LANES IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA. CURRENTLY THAT STRETCH IS BETWEEN FOUR AND FIVE LANES, BUT IT WILL BE REPAINTED AND THE OUTER LANES WILL BE FOR BIKES AND PEDESTRIANS. THE DIRECTOR OF PLANNING, ZONING AND DEVELOPMENT CARLEE ALM-LABAR TELLS THE ADVOCATE IT SHOULD MAKE IT EASIER ON PEDESTRIANS, WHO NOW HAVE TO DASH ACROSS FIVE LANES. SHE SAYS THE PROJECT IS SCHEDULED TO GO OUT TO BID THIS SPRING.
A SUSPICIOUS DEATH IN THE TOWN OF MELVILLE IS NOW UNDER INVESTIGATION. JULIE DARCE HAS MORE.
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THIS YEAR’S REVISED STATE TESTS HAVE BEEN ROLLED OUT WITH LESS FANFARE THAN LAST YEAR BECAUSE OF THEIR ASSOCIATION TO COMMON CORE. THE TESTS HAVE EVEN BEEN RENAMED LEAP 2016 AND TESTING HAS BEEN REDUCED FROM TWO SEPARATE WEEK LONG SESSIONS TO ONE. THE TESTING WILL TAKE PLACE ON THE WEEK OF APRIL 25TH AND THE RESULTS ARE EXPECTED IN JULY INSTEAD OF OCTOBER. THE STATE LEGISLATURE LAST YEAR ORDERE THE TESTS TO BE REVIEWED BY THE BOARD OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION AND THE LEGISLATURE, WHICH WILL TAKE PLACE IN MARCH.
POLICE BELIEVE ALCOHOL AND EXCESSIVE SPEED ARE THE CAUSES OF A FATAL CRASH ON I-TEN IN CALCASIEU PARISH, THAT HAPPENED JUST BEFORE SEVEN A-M YESTERDAY. SERGEANT JAMES ANDERSON OF THE STATE POLICE SAYS THE DRIVER TOOK THE PPG DRIVE EXIT IN WESTLAKE TOO FAST, LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO BRIDGE COLUMNS. THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE WAS EJECTED AND KILLED AT THE SCENE, WHILE THE PASSENGER, WHO WAS ALSO EJECTED, WAS FLOWN TO A LAFAYETTE HOSPITAL WITH SERIOUS INJURIES. THE NAMES OF THE TWO HAVE NOT BEEN RELEASED BECAUSE RELATIVES HAD NOT YET BEEN NOTIFIED.
ALCOHOL IS ALSO BELIEVED TO HAVE PLAYED A ROLE IN A FATAL TWO VEHICLE CRASH NORTH OF SULPHUR THAT HAPPENED JUST AFTER FOUR A-M SATURDAY. 22-YEAR-OLD ALEJANDRO DELGADO OF SULPHUR WAS TRAVELING NORTH ON L-A 27 WHEN HE CROSSED THE CENTER LINE AND CRASHED HEAD-ON INTO A SOUTHBOUND VEHICLE. DELGADO DIED AT THE SCENE AND THE TWO PEOPLE IN THE OTHER VEHICLE, 26-YEAR-OLD MICHAEL MADDOX AND 27-YEAR-OLD AMBER BOREL, BOTH OF DRY CREEK, LATER DIED FROM INJURIES SUSTAINED IN THE CRASH. TOXICOLOGY SAMPLES WERE TAKEN FROM BOTH OF THE DRIVERS FOR ANALYSIS.
LAFAYETTE MAYOR PRESIDENT JOEL ROBIDEAUX IS ASKING THE CITY PARISH COUNCIL TO EXTEND THE CURRENT RECYCLING CONTRACT WITH PROGRESSIVE WASTE SOLUTIONS UNTIL APRIL 30TH. THE CURRENT CONTRACT IS SET TO EXPIRE AT THE END OF THIS MONTH. THE CONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENT TOOK PROPOSALS LAST FALL THAT INCLUDES THE POTENTIAL FOR EXTENDING RECYCLING SERVICES IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS OF THE PARISH. ROBIDEAUX WANTS THE EXTENSION TO GIVE THEM MORE TIME TO DECIDE WHO GETS THE NEW CONTRACT AND TO GIVE THE NEW CONTRACTOR MORE TIME TO GET READY.
STATE AND FEDERAL AUTHORITIES ARE INVESTIGATING THE USE OF SKIMMING DEVICES AT GAS PUMPS TO ACCESS CUSTOMER CREDIT AND DEBIT CARD NUMBERS. SINCE JUNE OF LAST YEAR, A TOTAL OF 25 SKIMMING DEVICES HAVE BEEN FOUND IN LOUISIANA. THIS INCLUDES SOME FOUND IN ACADIA, IBERIA, JEFF DAVIS, ST. MARTIN, ST. MARY AND VERMILLION PARISHES. STATE AGRICULTURE AND FORESTY COMMISSIONER MIKE STRAIN SAYS CONVENIENCE STORES ARE AWARE OF THE SITUATION AND ALERTING AUTHORITIES WHEN THEY BELIEVE SOMETHING IS WRONG.
Louisiana’s legislative auditor and inspector general have issued a blistering report saying the state’s former veterans secretary mismanaged his department. The investigative report, released Monday, describes widespread improprieties at the Department of Veterans Affairs under David LaCerte’s leadership. It says LaCerte had “questionable organizational, hiring and pay practices that appear to have contributed to an environment with little accountability.” The ex-secretary’s lawyer blasted the report in a written response, saying the allegations were untrue.
