2-27-17
THE LAFAYETTE PUBLIC TRUST FINANCING AUTHORITY IS IN PRELIMINARY TALKS TO PURCHASE THE SECOND FLOOR OF THE CHILDREN’S MUSEUM OF ACADIANA. THE AUTHORITY IS LOOKING AT PUTTING 15 TO 18 APARTMENTS ON THE SECOND FLOOR, WHICH IS CURRENTLY VACANT AND BEING USED FOR STORAGE. MUSEUM DIRECTOR CAROL MCMANUS TELLS THE ADVOCATE THAT THE IDEA COULD BE A WIN-WIN FOR EVERYBODY AND THE BOARD THINKS IT HAS POTENTIAL. FINANCING AUTHORITY PROGRAM DIRECTOR REBEKKE MILLER SAYS THAT IF NEGOTIATIONS GO SMOOTHLY, THEY COULD BEGIN CONSTRUCTION ON THE APARTMENTS IN LATE SUMMER.
A LAKE CHARLES MAN WAS KILLED IN A TWO VEHICLE ACCIDENT THAT HAPPENED SHORTLY AFTER EIGHT SATURDAY NIGHT. SERGEANT JEFF KEENUM OF THE LAKE CHARLES POLICE DEPARTMENT SAYS 40-YEAR-OLD ANDREW AVERGONZADO JUNIOR WAS TRAVELING WEST ON 12TH STREET WHEN HE VEERED INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. HIS CAR WAS STRUCK BY A 2004 CHEVY TRAILBLAZER. BOTH DRIVERS WERE TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL AND AVERGONZADO WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD THERE. KEENUM SAYS STANDARD TOXICOLOGY REPORTS ARE PENDING AND THE INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING.
Federal prosecutors say a Breaux Bridge woman has been sentenced to 10 months in prison for stealing more than $64,000 from a New Iberia company. U.S. Attorney Stephanie A. Finley, in a news release, said 66-year-old Joan C. Edgar was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell on one count of wire fraud. Drell also ordered her to pay $64,860 in restitution and a $5,000 fine.
According to the Sept. 20, 2016 guilty plea, Edgar worked as an office manager for a New Iberia company.
The cost to enjoy Louisiana’s state parks is going up a bit. The Office of State Parks announced it is raising entrance fees and camping and cabin charges on March 1. Also, sales taxes now will be charged on the fees. Among the changes, the entrance charge for state parks will increase from $2 per person to $3.
THE BAYOU VERMILLION DISTRICT IS HOSTING A SPRING CELEBRATION FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY ON SATURDAY, MARCH 25TH AT VERMILLIONVILLE. THERE WILL BE A HANDS ON NATURAL EGG DYEING DEMONSTRATION TO START THE DAY, PLUS THERE WILL BE A BASKET DECORATING STATION, SWEET DOUGH PIE COOKING DEMONSTRATIONS, HISTORICAL GAMES, FACE PAINTING AND MORE. PARTICIPANTS CAN ENTER FRESHLY DECORATED EGGS IN THE PRETTIEST EGG CONTEST AND WINNERS WILL RECEIVE FABERGE EGGS DONATED BY ALEXANDER CALDWELL. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE SPRING CELEBRATION, YOU CAN GO ONLINE TO VERMILLIONVILLE-DOT-ORG OR CALL 233-40-77.
THERE WAS A FIRE SATURDAY IN LAKE CHARLES ALONG THE PARADE ROUTE ON LAKESHORE DRIVE. A FLOWER BED NEXT TO THE CALCASIEU DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE CAUGHT FIRE. IT TOOK FIREFIGHTERS ABOUT FIFTEEN TO 20 MINUTES TO PUT OUT THE BLAZE. THE PARADE WAS DELAYED FOR A SHORT WHILE BEFORE RESUMING.
CHURCH POINT FIREFIGHTERS BATTLED A MAJOR HOUSE FIRE SUNDAY. JULIE DARCE HAS MORE.
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Gov. John Bel Edwards’ trip to meet the Pope in Rome cost taxpayers $15,000 for his state police security detail. Edwards personally paid travel costs for him and his wife for the weeklong trip in January. The travel expenses for the governor’s bodyguards were billed to the Louisiana State Police, which released its costs Friday to The Associated Press in response to a public records request. Edwards, Louisiana State Police Col. Mike Edmonson and two state lawmakers were among those on the trip, to meet with an order of nuns working to combat human trafficking, the Hospitaler Sisters of Mercy, and talk about the effort with Pope Francis.
