2-5-20
MORE THAN NINE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN UNEARNED SEVERANCE PAY WAS HANDED OUT TO AROUND FOUR HUNDRED AND SEVENTY RETIRING LAFAYETTE CONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENT WORKERS OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS, ACCORDING THE ACADIANA ADVOCATE. THE LOUISIANA ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE HAS ISSUED AN OPINION THAT THE PRACTICE IS AVIOLATION OF THE STATE CONSTITUTION, WHICH PROHIBITS GOVERNMENT AGENCIES FROM DONATING FUNDS, CREDIT, PROPERTY OR THINGS OF VALUE. THE RETIRING EMPLOYEES RECEIVED AN AVERAGE OF NEARLY NINETY THOUSAND DOLLARS IN SEVERANCE PAY. LAFAYETTE CONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENT ATTORNEYS ARE RESEARCHING THE MATTER, BUT CITY COUNCIL CHAIR PAT LEWIS SAYS IT’S LIKELY THEY WILL NEVER RECOUP THAT MONEY SINCE IT WAS GIVEN IN GOOD FAITH.
INVESTIGATORS IN ST. LANDRY PARISH SAY THE SKULL OF A MAN, MISSING FOR SEVEN YEARS, HAS BEEN FOUND. CAROLINE MARCELLO REPORTS.
VOICER D :23
DOZENS OF PEOPLE WHO ATTENDED A MARDI GRAS BALL AT THE L’AUBERGE CASINO IN LAKE CHARLES ARE EXPERIENCING STOMACH RELATED ILLNESSES. THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH IS INVESTIGATING. L’AUBERGE GENERAL MANAGER MICHAEL PENDERGAST SAYS THEY ARE COOPERATING FULLY WITH THE INVESTIGATION. HE SAYS SOME OF THEIR TEAM MEMBERS HAVE ALSO BEEN AFFECTED.
DEMOCRAT STATE REPRESENTATIVES, WHO VOTED AS A BLOC TO ELECT REPUBLICAN CLAY SCHEXNAYDER AS HOUSE SPEAKER, HAVE BEEN REWARDED WITH FIVE CHAIRMANSHIPS. THEY WILL CHAIR THE TRANSPORTATION, CRIMINAL JUSTICE, INSURANCE, JUDICIARY AND LABOR COMMITTEES. REPUBLICANS STILL CHAIR THE MAJORITY OF COMMITTEES INCLUDING THE KEY FINANCIAL AND REDISTRICTING PANELS. REPUBLICAN STATE REPRESENTATIVE STUART BISHOP OF LAFAYETTE WILL HEAD THE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE AND REPUBLICAN STEPHEN DWIGHT OF LAKE CHARLES WILL CHAIR THE HOUSE AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, WHICH DEALS WITH THE REDRAWING OF POLITICL MAPS.
THERE IS A CRITICAL SHORTAGE OF UMPIRES FOR LAFAYETTE BASEBALL GAMES. BEN BROUSSARD AND JAMES AINSWORTH OF THE LAFAYETTE BASEBALL UMPIRE ASSOCIATION SAYS THAT IF THEY DON’T GET ENOUGH UMPIRES, THERE WILL BE NO WAY FOR GAMES TO BE OFFICIATED. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED, GO TO THE LAFAYETTE BASEBALL UMPIRE ASSOCIATION FACEBOOK PAGE FOR INFORMATION. THEY ARE HOLDING TRAINING EXERCISES THIS WEEK FOR NEW AND VETERAN UMPIRES.
AN AUDIT HAS FOUND THAT THE TOWN OF BALDWIN IN ST. MARY PARISH IS BILLING AS LITTLE AS FORTY PERCENT OF THE WATER THAT IT PURCHASES FROM THE WATER DISTRICT. THEY ARE PURCHASING THE WATER BECAUSE THEIR WATER PLANT HASN’T BEEN USED IN TWO YEARS SINCE THERE’S SO MUCH AMMONIA IN IT THAT IT CAN’T BE TREATED. THE MUNICIPALITY STILL OWES BONDS ON THE WATER PLANT, EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE NOT USING IT. THE WATER ISSUES HAVE BEEN A MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR TO BALDWIN’S DEFICIT, WHICH TOTALS MORE THAN A MILLION DOLLARS.
VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED TO HELP CLEAR DERELICT CRAB TRAPS FROM THE CALCASIEU RIVER BASIN. A DERELICT CRAB TRAP RODEO IS PLANNED FOR NEXT SATURDAY, FEBRUARY FIFTEENTH. VOLUNTEERS WORK WITH THE LOUSIANA DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES TO REMOVE THE CRAB TRAPS, WHICH HELPS KEEP OUR SPORTSMEN’S PARADISE PRISTINE. TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THIS EVENT, VISIT THE DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES WEBSITE AT W-L-F-DOT-L-A-DOT-GOV.
THE ACADIA PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE IS SEEKING THE PUBLIC’S HELP IN SOLVING THE BURGLARY OF A COMMERCIAL BUSINESS, LOCATED IN THE TEN THOUSAND BLOCK OF FAULK ROAD, SOUTH OF CROWLEY. NUMEROUS MECHANICAL TOOLS VALUED AT OVER TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS WERE STOLEN FROM THE BUSINESS OVER THE WEEKEND OF JANUARY TWENTY-FIFTH AND TWENTY-SIXTH. IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION, YOU ARE ASKED TO CALL CRIME STOPPERS AT 789-TIPS. YOUR CALL WILL REMAIN ANONYMOUS AND YOU ARE ELIGIBLE FOR UP TO A THOUSAND DOLLAR REWARD IF THE INFORMATION LEADS TO AN ARREST.
