2-1-18
A TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE OF THE ACADIANA PLANNING COMMISSION LAST NIGHT REVIEWED AND SCORED TWENTY PROJECTS DESIGNED TO REDUCE THE IMPACT OF FLOODING IN THE AREA. FEMA IS ISSUING 25 MILLION DOLLARS IN HAZARD MITIGATION FUNDS TO THE REGION. THE COMMITTEE WILL MEET AGAIN ON FEBRUARY 14TH TO DECIDE WHICH OF THE PROJECTS WILL BE FUNDED. THE PROJECT THAT RECEIVE THE HIGHEST SCORE LAST NIGHT WAS THE CONSTRUCTION OF A TWO-AND-A-HALF ACRE DETENTION POND JUST NORTH OF WESTSIDE ELEMENTARY IN SCOTT AND A TEN ACRE POND NEAR A NEIGHBORHOOD IN SCOTT THAT HAS HAD REPEATED FLOODING PROBLEMS.
LAKE CHARLES PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR ALLEN WAINWRIGHT ANNOUNCED YESTERDAY PLANS FOR AN EIGHT MILLION DOLLAR EXPANSION OF THE MALLARD JUNCTION WATER PLANT. THE PLANT SERVES ABOUT 16 HUNDRED CUSTOMERS IN THE EAST AND SOUTHEAST PARTS OF THE CITY. THE EXPANSION WILL ALLOW THE PLANT TO DOUBLE THE AMOUNT OF WATER THAT IT CAN PRODUCE. WAINWRIGHT SAYS THAT IF EVERYTHING WORKS OUT ON FUNDING FOR THE PROJECT, THEY SHOULD BEGIN TAKING BIDS ON CONSTRUCTION LATER THIS YEAR.
New allegations of racism and improper behavior against the sheriff of Iberia Parish have delayed a civil trial involving a man who was fatally shot while handcuffed. The trial had been scheduled to start next week. Relatives of Victor White III sued Iberia Parish Sheriff Louis Ackal and a deputy. The 22-year-old man was handcuffed behind his back in the rear of a patrol car when he died in March 2014.
A proposal to rewrite Louisiana’s TOPS college tuition program, to limit the dollars flowing to lower-performing students, is hitting pushback before it even gets a vote. Sen. Dan “Blade” Morrish, a Jennings Republican, wants to lessen the amount of tuition covered for students who reach the basic award for a four-year college, to a flat $4,000 annual payment. The annual tuition rate in Louisiana averages $5,600. A legislative task force studying TOPS will decide on Feb. 7 whether to include Morrish’s proposal in its recommendations to the full Legislature.
DUSON POLICE ARE CHARGING A MAN WITH MULTIPLE DRUG CHARGES AFTER A MARRIED COUPLE EACH SUFFERED A HEROIN OVERDOSE. DUSON POLICE CHIEF KIP JUDICE SAYS JOHN LOFTON JUNIOR ALLEGEDLY GAVE THE COUPLE HEROIN LACED WITH RAT POISON AND OTHER SUBSTANCES. EMERGENCY WORKERS WERE ABLE TO REVIVE THE WOMAN AT A HOME ON TOBY MOUTON ROAD SUNDAY NIGHT BY INJECTING HER WITH NARCAN. WHEN THEY WENT TO HER HOME TO TELL HER HUSBAND, THEY FOUND HIM SUFFERING FROM SYMPTOMS OF AN OVERDOSE, AND DETERMINED HE HAD TAKEN LACED HEROIN.
The Coast Guard says nearly 1,300 gallons of oil spilled from an oil production facility into southwest Louisiana wetlands near the areas where young endangered whooping cranes are released into the wild. A spokesman for the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries said Wednesday that staffers tell him all of Louisiana’s whooping cranes are currently away from the spill. The Coast Guard say a floating barrier was deployed around the spill to keep oil out of adjacent waterways east of White Lake and cleanup began Tuesday, the day the oil spilled from Peak Operating Co.’s production facility. Petty Officer Lexie Preston says the Coast Guard marine safety unit based in Morgan City will be at the site today to check up on the cleanup.
A CONVENIENCE STORE IN ST. MARTIN PARISH SUFFERED TWO ARMED ROBBERIES RECENTLY. JEFF HORCHAK REPORTS.
VOICER H :37
U-S SENATOR BILL CASSIDY OF LOUISIANA AND HIS WIFE, DR. LAURA CASSIDY, WERE ON A TRAIN WITH OTHER REPUBLICANS HEADED TO A POLICY RETREAT, WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH A GARBAGE TRUCK IN RURAL VIRGINIA. SENATOR CASSIDY GOT OFF THE TRAIN TO PROVIDE MEDICAL TREATMENT TO ONE OF THE INJURED IN THE GARBAGE TRUCK. DR. LAURA CASSIDY WORKED WITH OTHER TO TRY UNSUCCESSFULLY TO REVIVE ONE OF THE TRAIN CREW WHO DIED. LOUISIANA CONGRESSMAN GARRET GRAVES OF BATON ROUGE WAS ALSO ON THE TRAIN, BUT DID NOT SUFFER ANY MAJOR INJURIES.
