2-21-17
LAFAYETTE FIRE OFFICIALS ARE INVESTIGATING A FIRE THAT OCCURRED AT A VACANT HOUSE LOCATED IN THE 800 BLOCK OF MORGAN STREET. WHEN FIREFIGHTERS ARRIVED AT THE HOUSE SHORTLY AFTER EIGHT YESTERDAY MORNING, IT WAS FULLY ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE HOUSE SUSTAINED HEAVY DAMAGE. NEIGHBORS REPORTED TO OFFICIALS THAT VAGRANTS HAD BEEN SEEN GOING IN THE HOUSE RECENTLY.
A VINTON COUPLE HAS NEARLY THREE HUNDRED SIGNATURES ON A PETITION OPPOSING A PROPOSED 14 ACRE R-V PARK, THAT COULD BE BUILT NEXT TO DELTA DOWNS ON L-A 30-63. TEDDY MCNIEL, WHO, ALONG WITH HIS WIFE, STARTED THE PETITION, SAYS THE FAMILIES THAT LIVE IN THAT AREA HAVE BEEN THERE FOR GENERATIONS, AND ARE CONCERNED THAT THE R-V PARK COULD LEAD TO AN INCREASE IN CRIME. HE SAYS HE’S ALSO WORRIED ABOUT WHAT THE R-V PARK WOULD DO TO TRAFFIC, WHICH IS ALREADY HEAVY BECAUSE OF THE CASINO AND RACE TRACK. A ZONING MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR TONIGHT AT THE CALCASIEU PARISH POLICE JURY MEETING ROOM.
THREE JUVENILES FROM PATTERSON WERE ARRESTED ON ARSON CHARGES FOR SETTING INSULATION ON FIRE AT THE CONSTRUCTION SITE OF THE NEW PATTERSON JUNIOR HIGH. PATTERSON POLICE CHIEF PATRICK LASALLE SAYS SURVEILLANCE VIDEO WAS SET UP AT THE SITE AFTER SEVERAL BREAK-INS, AND THE TEENS WERE CAUGHT ON VIDEO. POLICE ARRIVED AT THE BUILDING AT AROUND NINE SUNDAY NIGHT AND CAPTURED THE JUVENILES AFTER A BRIEF FOOT CHASE. THE FIRE DAMAGE WAS MINIMAL AND ST. MARY PARISH SUPERINTENDENT LEONARD AMATO SAYS THE SCHOOL IS ON SCHEDULE TO OPEN IN AUGUST.
House and Senate leaders say they are nearing a deal on how to close a $304 million deficit. The plan, outlined Monday by House Speaker Taylor Barras and Senate President John Alario, would use between $90 million and $99 million from Louisiana’s “rainy day” fund to lessen cuts. Other available dollars would plug gaps. Cuts to agencies would range from about $80 million to $90 million.
FEDERAL CONGRESSIONAL STAFF MEMBERS YESTERDAY TOURED PARTS OF YOUNGSVILLE DAMAGED IN LAST YEAR’S FLOODS. JULIE DARCE HAS MORE.
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IOWA POLICE ARE LOOKING FOR A MISSING TEEN WHO MAY HAVE MEDICAL ISSUES THAT NEED ATTENTION. 16-YEAR-OLD GAVIN BLAKE BEAZER HAS BEEN MISSING SINCE LAST FRIDAY AND IS BELIEVED TO HAVE RUN AWAY. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION ON WHERE HE IS LOCATED IS ASKED TO CALL THE IOWA POLICE DEPARTMENT AT 582-36-26. POLICE SAY THAT ANYONE KNOWINGLY WITHOLDING INFORMATION COULD FACE CHARGES.
A FORMER IBERIA PARISH SCHOOL EMPLOYEE, WHO QUIT LAST FEBRUARY, CONTINUED RECEIVING PAYMENTS VIA DIRECT DEPOSIT UNTIL JULY TOTALLING NEARLY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS. WHEN THE EMPLOYEE QUIT, THAT PERSON WAS TOLD TO REPORT TO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM’S PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT, BUT DIDN’T. WHEN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM DISCOVERED THE OVERSIGHT, THEY REPORTED THE MATTER TO THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY AND THE LEGISLATIVE AUDITOR’S OFFICE, AND ARE CONSIDERING OPTIONS IN DEALING WITH THE MATTER. AN AUDIT FOUND THE SCHOOL SYSTEM SHOULD NOT HAVE RELIED ON THE FORMER EMPLOYEE TO REPORT THE MATTER, BUT SHOULD REQUIRE SUPERVISORS TO REPORT PERSONNEL CHANGES.
Records show that thousands of dollars in overtime was paid to Louisiana State Police officials to drive across the country and stay at a Las Vegas resort and casino and the Grand Canyon on their way to a law enforcement conference in California. The Advocate reports that the entourage went hundreds of miles out of their way at times for reasons that are under investigation. Details of the October trip to the annual conference of the International Association of Chiefs of Police in San Diego came to light after the newspaper obtained travel records for the trip. Col. Mike Edmonson, the State Police superintendent, said he had not authorized the troopers to charge overtime, or to take such an indirect route to the conference.
